


Take Care Of Her

by JesseBane



Series: Take Care Of Her [1]
Category: Markiplier Egos, Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye, markiplier - Fandom, youtube - Fandom
Genre: Adoption, Family, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, fostering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-23 20:45:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18709669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JesseBane/pseuds/JesseBane
Summary: During a house invasion Wilford finds an abused and terrified child hiding under his bed. Things only go down hill from here. . . until they don't.





	1. Home Invasion

_Run, must run. Scary lady no get me. Run, run, run._

 

A small child, around two years old was running through the trees, her skin covered in dirt and bruises were visible along her arms and legs. Her clothes nothing but rags full of holes and far to small for her tiny frame and her feet bare and bleeding from the rocks and various sharp things on the forest floor, but she didn’t even flinch as they cut into her and she just kept running.

 

Suddenly she stumbled out of the tree line and landed on her face, she gasped at the white hot pain that flared in her nose and coughed as the blood dripped into her mouth. The girl wiped her arm across her face leaving it and her face streaked in blood, but her nose – possibly broken – carried on bleeding.

 

_No, run! Run! Run!_

 

The girl shot to her feet once more and carried on running, noticing a door to the massive house in-front of her was open.

 

House→

 

The little girl slowed as she approached the door, blood dripping to the floor from her nose but she ignored it. She listened carefully for any sounds in the house to indicate any human presence, when she heard nothing she slowly edged through the door, her eyes wide as she looked around the massive room she found herself in. She walked through the house slowly, keeping to the shadows the way she had learned – it was either hide and move in the shadows or be beaten – her eyes darting around in-case anyone should walk past her, but nobody did.

Finally she found herself at the bottom of a staircase and she slowly made her way up them until she found a door that was slightly open at the end of the hall. She walked towards it slowly, her breathing ragged from the running and the blood still dripping from her nose.

The girl found herself in a bright pink bedroom, but before she could leave she heard footsteps heading her way, she quickly dived under the large bed in the center of the room and placed her hands over her mouth to try and stem the sound of her breathing. She couldn’t see anything from her spot under the bed as the bright pink bedspread blocked her view of the rest of the room, but it also meant that it blocked the person’s view of her as well. She heard moving around at the person in the room did whatever they did in this room. Then she heard yelling downstairs – a voice she recognized made her gasp – the movement stopped in the room and the little girl held her breath hoping and praying she hadn’t given away her hiding spot and she almost sighed in relief when she heard the footsteps retreat towards the door.

 

* * *

 

 

“What’s going on here?” Wilford asked as he made his way down the stairs and into the hallway leading to the garden door. Wilford raised his eyebrow at the sight of a woman he had never seen before being restrained by Google Drive (Green) and Google Search (Red). The woman had black hair that was tied into a braid that hung down to her hips and a set of oynx eyes. She was of medium build with wiry muscle covering her body.

 

“This woman is trespassing,” Google (Blue) declared, his voice glitching slightly as he did so. “When we demanded she leave she tried to barge passed us,” he added.

 

“Well now I’m sure that she has a good reason. Right lass?” Wilford asked with a to wide smile which showed to many teeth, something about this woman put Wilford on edge and he didn’t like being put on edge. The woman returned the smile, although it didn’t reach her eyes and it looked like it was uncomfortable for her.

 

“Of course sir. I just wished to see whome ran this household so I may speak to them,” the woman replied, her voice sweet like honey but Wilford did not trust the tone at all.

 

“Of course. We all jointly run this house, so I shall gather everyone in the meeting room,” Wilford forced out before nodding to the three Google’s who nodded back, they knew that Wilford wanted them to escort the woman to the meeting room.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m telling you Dark there is something wrong about this woman,” Wilford said as he lead Dark towards the meeting room. Dark hummed in reply as he studied his lover with concern in his duel colored eyes – the left eye blue and the right eye red – an emotion not normally seen on the normally stoic entity. “I don’t know what it is but I just don’t like it,” Wilford added and with that walked into the meeting room with Dark following behind. The woman was sitting in a chair at head of the table – where Wilford normally sat – with Search and Drive on either side of her preventing her from escaping the room. All of the other Ego’s were sitting in their respective seats and looking at the woman with varying emotions on each face.

 

“Greetings. I am Darkiplier, I run this household with the help of the members here. Now I hear from Wilford that you broke into our home and demanded to see me. That Google Drive and Google Search had to restrain you when you felt the need to attack them to further gain access to the house when they asked you to leave,” Dark said his tone neutral but his aura was pulsing behind him betraying the anger he felt.

 

“Please sir I have good reason. You see,” the woman paused here and let out a sob sounding noise – everyone could tell this was fake and many rolled there eyes at the poor acting – and began to dab her eyes with a tissue. “My little girl was playing hide-and-seek with me in the forest and I lost her. I ran through the forest trying to find her when I stumbled upon your home. Upon finding the door open I panicked, my daughter is only two sir and has no concept of danger or privacy. I feared she had run into your home upon finding it. Please sir let me search for her,” the woman said, still fake crying and it made the Ego’s cringe at the very sight of it.

 

“I see. Well I suppose you wish me to allow you free rein of my home to find your child that you so negligently allowed to run off?” Dark asked, his voice soothing now as if he felt pity for the woman in-front of him.

 

“Oh yes sir,” the woman replied looking up at Dark now with a spark in her eye that Wilford didn’t like and it made him frown at the sight.

 

“Well that is such a pity. You broke into my home and tried to assault members of the this household. You will leave now. If we find the child we shall let you know,” Dark said and with that he nodded to Drive and Search who immediately took one arm each and hauled the woman to her feet.

 

“Wait! What?!” she screeched, her true voice showing through and the Ego’s all winced at the sound of the voice which sounded like nails on a chalkboard. “No you don’t understand she is here! I can feel it! I know she is! Let go of me you bastereds!” the woman screeched wriggling in the grip of both the Google’s who didn’t let up in their grip on her. Dark approached the woman and leaned down to her level so he was right in her face, his eyes bleeding into black making the woman’s breath catch in her throat.

 

“No mother would ever fake cry when telling a story of how their child went missing. If there is a child missing she is not yours or you do not treat her how she should be treated. Wilford is right there is something rotten inside of you and we should know we’re a house full of psychopaths,” Dark growled. “Take our _guest_ to the basement. I will deal with her later,” Dark hissed and the two Googles grinned before dragging to screaming woman away.

 

“Do you really think there could be a child here hiding in the manner?” Bim asked his eyes wide at the thought of a child running through the huge house they all called a home, and a toddler at that.

 

“Yes I believe she was telling the truth on that front. But if there is it’s a high chance that the child is terrified and possibly injured. The vibe Wilford got from this woman was not good and I trust Wilford’s gut feeling as I to could sense something was wrong,” Dark replied and the Ego’s nodded in agreement.

 

“Dark, on checking the security camera’s there defiantly is a child in a manner and she’s bleeding heavily from her nose. Her arms and legs are covered in bruises and she looks like she has never had new clothes or seen a bath in her life,” Google Chrome (Yellow) piped up from his seat beside Google.

 

“Can you see where she went?” Dark asked.

 

“She disappears as soon as she hits the hallway, The camera’s don’t pick her up again until she’s climbing the staircase but then once again she disappears. It’s like she becomes one with the shadows,” Chrome replies.

 

“Is there anywhere she could have gone?” Dark asked, if she was two years old as the woman had said she wouldn’t be able to reach any of the door handles.

 

“My bedroom door wasn’t closed. I was moving my things into our room so I left the door pushed to. I thought I heard something when the shouting downstairs started but thought I was hearing things,” Wilford said.

 

“Myself, Wilford and Dr Iplier will go and check Wilford’s room the rest of you go downstairs and check the bottom levels just in-case she returned downstairs,” Dark said and with that everyone dispersed.

 

* * *

 

 

Wilford, Dark and Dr Iplier carefully walked into Wilford’s bedroom and Wilford shut the door behind them just in-case the child tried to run when they found her. The three men searched everywhere they could think off that a child could possibly hide until the only place left – which in all honesty was the most obvious – and Wilford slowly made his way over kneeling on the floor and slowly lifting up the covers. Wilford lent down and was met with a pair of terrified onyx eyes that melted Wilford’s heart. “Well hello there little one,” Wilford whispered laying himself down on his stomach but making no move to get the child out from under the bed. The child shuffled further back whimpering – in fear or in pain Wilford couldn’t tell – and her eyes widened further. “No no it’s OK. I’m not going to hurt you. Nor will my friends,” Wilford soothed keeping his voice low and even trying not to scare the child further. “You’re safe now little one, that mean lady is gone. She isn’t coming back here,” Wilford soothed trying to coax the child out from under his bed so that Dr Iplier could treat her wounds, but the child still didn’t move. “My name is Wilford by the way. But everyone calls me Wilf or Wil. What’s your name sweetheart?” Wilford asked, but the child didn’t reply she just looked at Wilford confused watching his lips as he spoke. Wilford watched the child curiously before deciding to try something. ‘My name is Wilford’ Wilford signed and the little girl’s eyes lit up in shock and wonder before shakily lifting her hands in Wilford’s view, and Wilford had to bite down the anger he felt at the sight of the bruises covering those hands and arms.

 

‘My name is Girl’ the little girl signed back and Wilford frowned.

 

‘That isn’t a real name sweetheart. Do you have a real name?’ Wilford asked and the girl frowned sadly before shaking her head.

 

‘Mommy says freaks not allowed a name’ the girl signed back.

 

‘Did you have a name before?’ Wilford asked moving his hands slowly to allow the girl to keep up.

 

‘Jessica. But I no like it’ the girl signed and Wilford laughed before thinking and a grin lit up his face.

 

‘What about Jesse?’ Wilford asked and the little girl seemed to think for a moment before slowly nodding her head. Then she slowly began to crawl towards Wilford, but froze when she spotted both Dark and Dr Iplier standing in the room as well. ‘It’s OK Jesse. These are my friends. They look scary but most of the time they aren’t,’ Wilford soothed and Jesse gulped before nodding her head and allowing Wilford to pull her the rest of the way out from under the bed, the men all gasped at the sight of the beaten and bruised little girl with blood dripping from her nose and onto Wilford’s clothes.

 

“Let’s get her to the clinic I need to check her over and to see if we can stop the bleeding. She must have lost a lot of blood,” Dr Iplier announced and the girl – now named Jesse – looked over in confusion trying to guess what the Doctor had said.

 

“I think she’s deaf doc, she can’t hear us,” Wilford said and Dr Iplier nodded sadly.

 

“I can test that to,” he replied and Wilford nodded before turning to Dark who was staring at the child with conflicting emotions.

 

“I will go and inform the other Ego’s that we have found the child,” he said and with that he swept from the room leaving Wilford and Dr Iplier with the child alone.


	2. Theory

In the end Dr Iplier had had to give Jesse an injection of a mild sedative to lightly put her to sleep because she wouldn’t allow him to check her and make sure she was OK. He hadn’t wanted to do it and had made Wilford leave the room so that the terrified toddler wouldn’t associate Wilford with the terror that came from being anesthetized. The only thing he hadn’t been able to test had been her hearing, but that would come later. He had documented everything with Wilford present at all times and had taken photographic evidence of the child’s wounds and bruising. He had applied a cast to the child’s right leg and left arm (he had washed the child before this to better asses her wounds) as both bones were broken, he was still baffled as to how the child had managed to run as far as she had and how she had managed to sign to Wilford at all and crawl out from under the bed with the bones broken. She also had several bruised organs and that was just what he could tell now. Once his primary findings were finished he injected the toddler with a reverse sedative so she would wake up and he left Wilford in charge of the tiny child while he himself went to find Dark and give him all of his information.

 

* * *

 

 

Wilford settled into the chair beside Jesse waiting for the toddler to wake up, the little girl was now wearing one of the clinic pajama tops which was miles to big on her but it was all they had. Wilford frowned at this before concentrating on his aura and suddenly a navy blue short romper appeared in his hands, the romper was decorated with white stars and Wilford smiled at the sight before concentrating again and a pack of training pants appeared in his hand, the training pants were blue with white stars and moons printed all over it. Wilford then carefully maneuvered the toddler around to get her dressed into her new clothes and the little girl didn’t even stir which made Wilford frown slightly as he expected the girl to be awake by now.

 

Romper-> Training Pants->

 

Wilford was pulled from his thoughts by Dark entering the room. “Has she not woken yet?” he asked and Wilford shook his head in reply. “The police are on their way. Everyone is getting into their human persona's I suggest you do the same,” Dark said and Wilford nodded his head before allowing his aura to surround him changing his hair and mustache to black (although leaving it curled) and his pink eyes became a deep blue color. His aura then curled around him once more to change him into a pair of dark gray slacks and a pink dress shirt with a black leather belt keeping his trousers up. Wilford turned to look at Dark who was dressed in his usual suit and tie but his skin now tan, his eyes onyx in color and his hair black as well.

 

“What’s my name again?” Wilford asked.

 

“It’s just Will,” Dark replied and Wilford nodded. “What’s everyone else?” Wilford asked, although distracted by the toddler in the bed he knew he needed to remember this.

 

“The Host, Ed and The Jim’s aren’t here so don’t worry about them. The Google’s and Bing are staying in the basement out of the way. King is Karl, Bim is Ben, Artie is Arthur, Chef is Chester, Dr Iplier is Dr Elliot Gray, Silver is Ryan of course, Yandere is Yazmine, Bop is Bart, Reynolds is Richard and Eric is Ewan. I myself am Damon,” Dark replied and Wilford nodded and frowned as Jesse whimpered in her sleep but still made no effort to wake up fully. “Don’t get attached Wilford,” Dark warned, but even he knew that Wilford was already attached he had become attached the moment he had found the child.

 

* * *

 

 

Within the next ten minutes the police had arrived and Jesse had finally woken up and was clinging to Wilford, once he had shown her that it was really him she had refused to allow anyone else to hold her. “We need to question the child. She needs to come to the station,” one of the officers said reaching for Jesse who flinched with a whimper and clung onto Wilford all the more.

 

“Stop it you’re scaring her,” Wilford said clutching onto Jesse more but the officer just rolled their eyes.

 

“No I’m not she’s just being silly. Come on little one lets go,” the officer said but Jesse just whimpered in confusion, she didn’t understand what was going on and she just wanted to stay with the man who saved her, the one person who had spoken to her in a way she understood in the whole time she had been there.

 

“Stop,” Wilford growled, letting a little of his anger slip through.

 

“Sir hand the child over or we will have to arrest you for kidnap,” the officer warned.

 

“Will just give her over to the officers. They will look after her. She will be fine,” Dark said staring at his lover in warned but Wilford was stubborn, he could feel Jesse shaking in his arms in terror and he wasn’t about to let these idiots take her when they weren’t even listening to him.

 

“No Damon, these idiots aren’t listening to me! They will just terrify Jesse more,” Wilford replied.

 

“Sir we deal with cases like this all the time. We know how to handle an abused child. Better then you most likely,” the officer said and with that snatched Jesse from Wilford arms making the child scream. Jesse screamed and cried in confusion and terror, but the officer didn’t pay any heed to it and just started to carry her away but was blocked by Dr Iplier who was glaring at the officer with such a fierce heat in his blue (disguised) eyes that the officer took a step back.

 

“That is not how you remove a terrified child who doesn’t even know what you have said since you got her. Nor is it any way to move a child who is injured with broken bones and bruised organs. You could cause further damage to her,” he hissed before gently taking Jesse into his arms and passing her back to Wilford. Jesse immediately stopped screaming and just whimpered and sobbed leaning into Wilford and clutching his shirt in one hand, griping it so hard her knuckles were turning white. “That poor child has been through enough and at the moment can’t even hear you. She has two perforated ear drums and that means she can’t hear you, she needs surgery to fix this. But until then she communicates with sign language, you need to explain to her where she is going and why you can not just take her from the only person in this family that knows sign language and has been able to speak with her,” he added and the officer gulped.

 

“Officer Jenkins go and wait outside, I have spoken to you about this several times and I am not happy right now,” came the voice of the leading officer and Jenkins nodded before running from the house.

 

“We do apologize about him, but make no mistakes this latest transgression will not go unpunished. Unfortunately we have no one here that speaks sign language and we do not wish to upset the child further. May we return tomorrow with someone who can speak sign language to get a statement from the child then?” the officer asked.

 

“So she will stay here?” Wilford asked with hope in his tone.

 

“For tonight. We will have to find her a foster home until something more permanent can be found,” the officer said and Wilford deflated slightly before nodding his head and carrying Jesse from the room and upstairs to his bedroom – which would be Jesse’s for the time being – and laying on the bed with Jesse in his arms rocking the toddler back and forth until she fell into a natural sleep. Wilford sighed and tucked the child into the bed with pillows against her on the side of the open bed so she didn’t roll out of it in her sleep. He switched off the main light but left the one in the hall way on and left the door ad-jar for the toddler in-case something happened.

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m telling you Dark there is something different about Jesse, I don’t think she’s fully human,” Wilford said as he changed into his pink silk pajamas that night in his and Dark shared room.

 

“Wilford you are trying to find things that aren’t there just so you can find a reason to keep the child,” Dark said as he himself changed into his black silk pajamas before climbing into bed.

 

“But how did she just vanish into the shadows when she came into the house? Even when she was under the bed it was like the shadows were trying to cover her, but didn’t know how,” Wilford said as he to climbed into bed on the other side of Dark. Dark sighed and ran his hand over his face in aggravation. “I’m telling you Dark she reminds me of you. The way you bend shadows to your will and how you can just disappear and reappear into them, that’s what Jesse did,” Wilford said turning to face Dark who was frowning.

 

“That’s enough now Wilford. We shall discuss this in the morning,” Dark said and with that he turned his back to Wilford and Wilford sighed before turning his back to Dark also, but sleep didn’t come easy to him but eventually it did. . . at least for a few hours.


	3. Fostering

Screaming woke Wilford with a jerk and Dark, the two looked at each other before both racing to the bedroom next to theirs. Jesse was sitting up in the bed sobbing her little heart out, her whole body shaking and her long brown hair – which needed washing and cutting – was plastered to her face and neck with sweat. Dark switched on the light as Wilford raced over to the toddler and he knelt on the floor beside the bed, the movement alerting Jesse to the fact someone was there which made her jump and jerk away with a whimper until she recognized Wilford. The toddler sobbed and reached out towards the pink haired man who immediately picked her up and began rocking her using his aura to change the soiled training pants the toddler was wearing. Jesse was soon calm enough that Wilford could sit her on the bed so he could sign to her. ‘What happened Jesse?’ he signed and the toddler hiccuped as she lifted her shaking hands into the air and began to sign.

 

‘Bad lady, hurt,’ the toddler signed. ‘Scary man take Jesse away,’ she added with a sob. ‘No want to go. Want Wil’ the added and Wilford felt his heart brake at that. ‘Wil help Jesse. Jesse safe’ the girl added, sobbing once more. ‘Want Wil’ she added, signing that over and over again through her sobbing until Wilford went to grab her, but was shocked as the shadows around her seemed to react to that and started swirling in an agitated kind of way, but made to move to stop Wilford picking the terrified toddler up. Wilford rocked Jesse from side to side until the toddler was asleep once again and as soon as she was the shadows settled once more, no longer moving.

 

“That’s not possible,” came the voice of Dark behind him making Wilford turn his head towards his lover.

 

“What isn’t?” Wilford asked as he walked towards Dark, Jesse fast asleep in his arms once more.

 

“The shadows Wilford. They were reacting to her emotions, she should only be able to do that if she was like me or a shadow demon,” Dark said.

 

“I told you there was something different about her,” Wilford said and Dark sighed before looking into Wilford’s eyes and nodding. “We can’t let her go with the police Dark. She will be placed with human’s who wont know what to do with her nor how to cope with her,” Wilford said.

 

“OK Wilford. We will try and keep her, but I make no promises OK?” Dark said and Wilford’s face split into a grin as he nodded his head and pressed a kiss to Dark’s cheek.

 

“Come on Darky let’s go back to bed,” Wilford said and made his way back to his and Dark’s room with Jesse in his arms tucking the toddler in between them hoping to fend off any more nightmares that night.

 

* * *

 

 

The following morning Jesse woke to Wilford gently running his hand over her back where she had been sleeping on her stomach. The toddler turned her face towards Wilford and he smiled before singing to her ‘Shall we have a nice bath before breakfast?’ he asked and Jesse yawned before nodding and allowing Wilford to pick her up. Wilford wound his aura around Jesse’s casts to prevent any water getting into the cast or getting the casts wet. Wilford filled the bath to a safe height and temperature before lowering Jesse into the tub, the little girl was curious about the water and moved her hands through the water feeling the texture and watching it run through her fingers. Wilford smiled sadly before carefully washing the tiny bruised body in-front of him. Once he was finished this he washed the toddler’s hair turning the bath water black with the dirt. Wilford draining the tub and then used the shower head to rinse Jesse off once more and then wrapped her in a fluffy black towel and dried her off. He then placed another set of training pants onto her and then he hummed in thought before using his aura to make some clothes appear in his hand after asking Jesse what her favorite color was. The little girl beamed at what Wilford had conjured up, it was a gray tee with matching shorts both dotted in blue stars. Luckily it was the middle of summer so it was warm outside meaning that Jesse could get away with shorts and a short sleeved tee. In his other hand Wilford was holding a pair of space themed sandals as well. Jesse clapped her hands at the sight a smile on her face and she let Wilford dress her and place the sandal on the foot without her cast.

 

‘Shall we cut your hair sweetness?’ Wilford signed to Jesse and the little girl frowned biting her lip in confusion. Wilford smiled before using his aura to make a magazine appear in his hand for hair cuts for children. Wilford sat on the floor of his and Dark bedroom with Jesse sitting in his lap looking at the pictures until she gasped and pointed to one which made Wilford chuckle, he knew that Jesse was a bit of a Tomboy with the way she preferred boys clothes – he had given her the option of a skirt the first time and she had almost cried at the sight so he changed it to the shorts – and now she wanted her hair cut short. Wilford wasn’t going to deny this angel anything so he sat her facing him and concentrated on his aura and allowed it to flow over Jesse until her hair began to shrink, as if returning to the inside of her head but in-fact it was just vanishing completely. Eventually he couldn’t even recognize the little girl sitting in-front of him with a wide smile on her face as she felt the hair on her head. Wilford carried the little girl over to the mirror in the bathroom and she smiled even wider before turning to Wilford and pressing a kiss to his cheek before snuggling into his shoulder. Wilford smiled as well before kissing Jesse on the head.

 

Jesse->

 

Wilford carried Jesse downstairs before finding the wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs just for the toddler. Wilford settled her into the seat before wheeling her into the Livingroom and parking her in-front of the coffee table as it was a better height for her. ‘What would you like to eat?’ Wilford asked moving his hands slowly to allow Jesse to keep up.

 

‘Food?’ Jesse asked with a confused look on her face and Wilford felt his anger swell once more but pushed it aside so as not to scare Jesse.

 

‘Yes food sweetheart’ Wilford replied.

 

‘I eat?’ Jesse asked with surprise in her eyes and Wilford felt his heart brake at that before he nodded his head and Jesse’s eyes filled with tears and she sobbed reaching for Wilford who immediately picked her up.

 

“Wilford why is Jesse crying?” Dark asked as he walked into the room and Wilford sighed looking at Dark sadly.

 

“I asked her what she would like to eat. She became confused and then asked if she was allowed to eat and she started crying when I nodded,” Wilford explained and Dark’s aura’s flared up around him in anger, the red taking over more then the blue.

 

“Bring her to the table. She can sit with you and we can make her small bits of different foods for her to try,” Dark suggested and Wilford nodded following his beloved to the kitchen where the rest of the Ego’s were sat eating their breakfast. It was amazing how they all liked different foods even after being created by the same man. Wilford took his seat at the table and continued running his hand up and down Jesse’s back until the toddler stopped crying and looked up and Wilford with sad eyes. Wilford smiled sadly as well before carefully removing his arms from around Jesse to sign to her.

 

‘Dark is making you some food. Do you want to sit in my lap and eat? Everyone else is here but they wont hurt you OK?’ Wilford asked and Jesse trembled a little but nodded her head allowing Wilford to turn her around in his lap. The toddler tensed at the sight of all of the Ego’s but they were all trying not to look at the terrified toddler to try and put her more at ease with the situation. Dark walked over and placed a small space themed plastic plate with a single square of toast on it with some slices of apple on the side, next to that Dark placed the matching bowl with half a weetabix inside with milk. Dark then placed a matching cup down with a lid attached to it with a straw running through it to prevent spilling, the cup had water inside it. Dark then placed a spoon beside the bowl and Wilford could see the matching knife and fork on the counter behind Dark.

 

‘Just what you can. We don’t expect you to eat it all’ Wilford signed to the little girl when he saw the wide eyed look on her face. Jesse nodded and reached for the toast first, it had a small amount of jam spread over it. The toddler nibbled at it before placing that back onto the plate and picking up an apple slice, her eyes lit up and she carefully chewed and swallowed the apple slice before she picked up the last one and ate that as well. Once the apples were gone she reached for the cup but couldn’t hold it due to the cast on her arm and she whimpered sadly. Dark watched the struggle before using his aura and making a spout-less sippy cup appear in his hand he then picked up the cup and poured the water from that into the sippy cup and attached the lid before passing it to Jesse who’s eyes lit up when she realized she could pick it up.

 

Once she placed the sippy cup back on the table she signed towards Dark; ‘Thank you.’ Wilford translated for Dark and Dark nodded to Jesse who was now trying to work out how to hold a spoon, Dark felt the rage build in him for the fact that this little girl had no idea what most of the food was that she had been given, nor did she know how to hold and use a spoon to feed herself. The Ego’s had plenty to give to the police when they returned later and by then Google would have made the documents to say that Dark and Wilford – or rather Damon Gray and Wilbraham West – have fostered Jesse until the investigation was over and then they would get Google to make the adoption papers.

 

“As soon as everyone has finished we must work together to child proof the manner or else Jesse may be removed from our care. All weapons must be placed into the hidden cupboard, no exceptions Wilford I’m afraid. Any papers or incriminating evidence must also be placed in the cupboard. Then we must make sure that there is nothing Jesse could get hold of that could harm her such as cleaning supplies, medicines and sharp objects such as knives,” Dark announced and there were several groans at the no weapons part but the glare Dark sent them shut them up quickly. “Yandere as it is Saturday and you are not at school today I would like you to take Jesse into the garden and play with her until the police arrive. We all need to be in our human disguises with our human clothes,” Dark added and Yandere groaned at the last part but she was excited to get to know Jesse, she and Mark-Bop were the only other Iplier’s who knew sign language any way so it made sense to be her. “Do we all remember out human names? First and last?” Dark asked with a raised eyebrow which prevented anyone complaining at being asked a stupid question.

 

“Yazmine Gray,” Yandere pipped up – she had been the original ‘adopted child’ for Dark as he had been the only one Yandere had trusted when she arrived – with a smile and Dark smiled as well.

 

“Benedict West, known to family as Ben,” Bim declared from his seat with a large grin on his face as he made the announcement making Dark roll his eyes.

 

“Karl West,” King announced as he removed his crown with a sad smile, but he knew he couldn’t wear it while the police were around.

 

“Arthur Gray,” Artie said from his seat at the table where he was sketching something in his sketch pad rather then eating much to Chef’s distress.

 

“Chester Gray,” Chef added as he tried to get Artie to eat something, but the artist paid him no mind and continued to sketch.

 

“Dr Elliot Gray,” Dr Iplier replied as he to joined in trying to get Artie to eat something rather then sketching in his sketch book, but once again the artist paid them no mind at all.

 

“Ryan Gray,” Silver announced – although he was already in his civilian disguise anyway so that didn’t matter much – as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

 

‘Bartholomew Gray. But I mainly answer to Bart’ Bop signed, which Yandere translated which made Dark nod his head.

 

“Richard West,” Reynolds answered ruffling his long blonde hair which would soon be black.

 

“E-E-Ewan West,” Eric stuttered, he had only just managed to learn how to use his aura and sometimes it still scared him.

 

“The Host will be Harrison Gray,” The Host piped up from his seat, his disguise was the hardest to work with and he often needed aid to do it as he had to make fake eyes for his eye-sockets, although they didn’t work and he often covered them with special grade sunglasses made for the blind. He would also have to use a cane for the duration of the police visit to further drive home the blind man act.

 

“I am Jason West, but I go by Jay and my associate Jim is James West but he goes by Jem,” Reporter Jim announced.

 

“I am Jethro West but I go by Jet. Jim?” Newscaster Jim asked turning towards Weatherman Jim.

 

“I am Jonte West but I go by Jon. Jim?” Weatherman Jim replied, but before they could continue this Ed Edgar piped up.

 

“I am Edric West,” Ed piped up from his seat the cowboy was scowling because he hated having the use his disguise.

 

“I am Gregson Gray,” Google said his voice glitching slightly.

 

“I am Sidney Gray,” Search said with a glower in his red eyes, he also hated having to pretend to be human.

 

“I am Charlie Gray,” Chrome announced with a smile on his face, his bright yellow eyes seeming to glow a little more he loved it when they had to be human as it made him feel closer to those around him. But he knew his ‘brothers’ disapproved.

 

“I am Daniel Gray,” Drive replied also glaring as Search was, he wasn’t happy either.

 

“Dude I’m Bingham West,” Bing replied with a grin, he had been one of the few that managed to keep his actual name by using it as an abbreviation of his human name.

 

“I’m Wilbraham West,” Wilford mumbled from his spot helping Jesse with the spoon as the little girl slowly ate her cereal.

 

“Very good. I myself am Damon Gray. Now we all know what to do. Let’s get to it,” Dark said and with that everyone left the table.

 

* * *

 

Jesse sat in her wheelchair looking around the garden she hadn’t really had a chance to really look at when she ran through it the day before. Yandere was pushing her from behind, although she looked different. She now had long black hair with red highlights running through it and her eyes were now onyx instead of red. Yandere had tied her hair into a high pony tail and she was wearing subtle makeup on her face as well. The Ego had changed out of her ‘Yandere uniform’ and was now wearing a dark blue mini skirt and a white tank top with a pair of sandals on her feet.

 

Yandere – or Yazmine as she was at the moment – was happily pushing Jesse around and showing her different things. Explaining what they were in sign language. The two were soon joined by Mark-Bop who was now also in his human disguise. His black hair was shaved at the sides and spiked up on the top, his eyes were also onyx in color to match Yandere’s. Mark-Bop – now Bart – was wearing a pair of black ripped jean shorts, navy blue flip flops and a blue muscle shirt.

 

‘Hay Bart’ Yandere signed with a smile – all of the Ego’s had to refer to each other by their human names when they were disguised so they didn’t slip up in-front of people – and Bop smiled back.

 

‘Dad sent me to come and get you the police are here’ Bop signed to Yandere who nodded and squatted down in-front of Jesse getting the toddler’s attention to sign to her that they were going inside to meet some people, but not to be scared. Jesse nodded her head and let Yandere push her back into the manner.

 

* * *

 

Dark sighed when the knock sounded on the door and he smoothed his black hair into place, slicked to to the side as it was, he was now wearing a pair of gray slacks with a black button up shirt and his usual dress shoes.

 

 

Dark’s onyx eyes surveyed the house as he walked through it just double checking everything was safe and all the weapons gone. Before he opened the door to reveal some of the same officers from the day before and a short plump looking woman who had a strained smile on her face. “Good day to you officers. Would you be so kind as to make your way to the livingroom? I shall get Bartholomew to retrieve Jesse and Yazmine from the garden and then we can begin,” Dark said bowing his head slightly leading them all to the livingroom where Bing and Chrome were playing Mario Kart with the Nintendo switch. Bing was wearing a pair of gray cut of denim shorts and a plain black muscle shirt, his feet bare; whereas Chrome was wearing a yellow polo shirt and a pair of gray jeans and a pair of black sneakers on his feet.

 

Bing: Chrome:

 

The Host was sat in the corner with his sunglasses on his face and a braille book in hand that he was reading. The Host was wearing a red dress shirt with a pair of black slacks and a pair of black dress shoes, his hair slicked much like Dark’s, his blonde streak no longer present in the black hair.

 

The Host:

 

The other three googles were sitting a little way away typing away at their individual laptops (in their individual colors). Google was wearing a blue polo shirt with a pair of gray jeans, his feet encased in a pair of black sneakers. Drive was wearing a green polo shirt and a matching pair of gray jeans with his feet encased in a pair of black sneakers and Search was wearing a matching red polo shirt with the same jeans and a pair of black sneakers. They each now had onyx eyes to match Dark’s and their black hair was neatly styled, all with their glasses pushed up their noses as they worked.

 

Blue:

Green:

Red:

 

Dark cleared his throat and everyone turned to look at them almost in unison, except for The Host who just looked up, he didn’t look in their direction even though he knew where they were. “Our guests have arrived. Bingham and Charles please turn off that game so that we may being,” Dark requested.

 

“Ah Damon do we have to?” Chrome whined, he enjoyed being the annoying younger brother and Dark knew it was an act so he sighed like a long suffering brother would.

 

“Yes Charles,” Dark replied.

 

“It’s Charlie,” Chrome grumbled.

 

“You were christened Charles just as your three cohorts were christened Gregson, Sidney and Daniel,” Dark retorted back.

 

“We also prefer to be referred to as such,” Drive piped up without so much as looking up from his laptop.

 

“Oh come on Dan you don’t mean that!” Chrome pouted and Google rolled his eyes with a sigh but didn’t comment.

 

“Shut up Charles, you know we all prefer to be referred to as our actual names and not the childish nicknames you have provided us with,” Search growled, glancing up long enough to glare at Chrome who glared back.

 

“No one asked you Sid!” Chrome retorted back.

 

“Will you all behave for once? This argument is silly and therefore not of importance,” Google sighed staring pointedly at all three of his extensions who all grumbled in reply.

 

“Sorry Greg,” Chrome replied.

 

“Boys we shall all refer to each other in the way that person wishes to be addressed. Now _Charlie_ switch off the game. _Gregson_ , _Sidney_ and _Daniel_ switch off your computers as well,” Dark snapped and everyone immediately moved to comply even though Chrome stuck his tongue out at the other Googles which they all chose to ignore.

 

“So how many people live here?” one of the officers asked finally looking away from the Googles and Bing in favor for turning to Dark once more.

 

“There are twenty-three of us. Not including young Jesse of course,” Dark replied.

 

“Twenty three?” the officer gasped in shock.

 

“Yes. There is myself and my brothers: Arthur, Chester, Elliot, Ryan, Harrison, Gregson, Sidney, Daniel and Charlie. Then there is my daughter whom I adopted three years ago now; Yazmine and her brother whom I adopted at the same time; Bartholomew. Then there is my partner Wilbraham and his brothers: Edric, Bingham, Benedict, Karl, Richard, Ewan, James, Jason, Jethro and Jonte,” Dark replied.

 

“Oh how old are the children?” the plump woman asked.

 

“Bartholomew is sixteen and Yazmine is fourteen,” Dark replied; no one understood why Bop aged down when in their human disguises but they knew why Yandere did it was due to her being a ‘school girl’ anyway. So Yandere reverted back to being a teenage girl, Bop also became a sixteen year old. Yandere also became a girl much to her pleasure, although she was in the process of becoming a girl normally as well.

 

Bop:

Yandere:

 

“So how do you expect to be able to give this child all she needs with so many people in the house and two teenagers?” the woman asked and Dark had to rein in his anger as he knew that the woman was only doing her job.

 

“I assure you madam that Jesse would want for nothing in our care. I myself work from home so I will be with her all day to provide her with anything she would need. In-fact several of us work from home and Bartholomew is home school,” Dark replied.

 

“But can you provide her the love and attention she needs? Would you be able to punish her if she needed it?” the woman asked.

 

“I assure you madam that all our children are punished when needed. Both Bartholomew and Yazmine given groundings and extra chores as punishment. Jesse will be given time outs, one minute per year of her age and the possible removal of a toy,” Dark replied and the woman was preventing from answering by Yandere and Bop entering the room with Jesse in her wheelchair. The moment Jesse spotted the officers and the woman she started sobbing and gesturing wildly.

 

“My goodness what is she doing?” the woman cried in shock, even though she was there for the specific reason of translating everything from sign language for the officers.

 

“She wants Will,” Yandere replied picking Jesse up carefully who continued to sign the same thing over and over again.

 

“Yes where is Mr West? I was led to believe he would be here as well,” one of the officers said.

 

“I heard my name,” Wilford said entering the room, his hair and mustache now black and his eyes brown. He was wearing a light pink dress shirt with a pair of black slacks and a pair of black suspenders and a black bow-tie and a pair of pink dress shoes.

 

Wilford:

 

He was followed by Dr Iplier, Reynolds and Eric. Dr Iplier was wearing a Doctor Who tee and a pair of blue jeans along with a pair of white socks. Reynolds was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a gray tee with a pair of black sneakers. Whereas Eric was was wearing a black floral tee with a pair of blue jeans and a pair of black dress shoes.

 

Dr Iplier:

Reynolds:

Eric:

 

Wilford zeroed in on Jesse who was reaching towards him now. ‘What’s the matter sweetheart?’ Wilford asked before taking the toddler into his arms.

 

“She started crying when she spotted the officers,” Yandere replied and Bop nodded his head in agreement. Wilford sighed and nodded before sitting down on the couch rocking Jesse until she was calm at last.

 

‘They take Jesse away?’ Jesse asked with tears still dripping down her cheeks.

 

‘No sweetie you’re not going anywhere. They want to ask you some questions OK?’ Wilford signed back and Jesse nodded her head, but refused to allow Wilford to put her down.

 

“We would like only Mr West and Mr Gray to be present for the questioning,” one of the officers said making the others groan but they exited the room to go and find the other Ego’s as it was almost lunch time at this hour.

 

“Now first of all we are going to be recording this conversation just for our records,” the first officer said and Dark nodded his head as he had expected this. “Now as you are joint foster parents of Jesse at the moment you do both need to be present but because Jesse can only speak in sign language we will have to video record it. Would you like us to blur your faces out? We can not blur out Jesse’s face as it will need to be shown in court,” the officer added.

 

“No that’s fine,” Dark replied and Wilford nodded, after all Damon Gray and Wilbraham West had nothing to hide.

 

* * *

 

An hour later the questions were finished and poor Jesse was exhausted and the adults were emotionally drained. “It is lunch time now. Would you join us? We can then give you the tour of our home,” Dark said as he stood.

 

“That is very kind of you Mr Gray,” the first officer said before he and his two colleges followed Dark and Wilford to the kitchen. Introductions were given for the Ego’s that the officers had yet to meet. Ed’s hair was now long black hair that was still flowing down around his shoulders, much like Reynolds’s hair was. Even his mustache was black now he was still wearing his sunglasses and his cow boy hat, but he was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a brown tee instead of his usual clothes but he was still wearing his cow boy boots.

 

Ed:

 

King was sat beside Ed wearing a yellow tee and a pair of red jeans with bare feet, he was talking with Bim who was sat across from him. The game show host had his black hair slicked as normal but his eyes were brown instead of the purple they normally were. Bim was wearing a purple silk shirt with a pair of black slacks and a pair of purple dress shoes.

 

King:

Bim:

 

Silver was sat beside Bim wearing a plain white tee with a pair of black jeans with a pair of white and black sneakers on his feet. He was talking about something or other with Artie who was sat beside him. Artie was wearing a pair of brown cargo pants with a plain white tee and a pair of brown sneakers.

 

Sliver:

Artie:

 

Chef was of course serving up the lunch from the stove wearing a pair of black jeans and a plain white tee with a pair of white sneakers on his feet. He was also wearing a white apron over his clothes and his white chefs hat was perched on his head.

 

 

The four Jim’s talking excitedly together talking about something or other. They were all wearing blue jeans with a blue polo shirt and white sneakers.

 

Of course all conversation stopped when they entered the room and remained after introductions had been made. Dark rolled his eyes before helping to squeeze the officers around the table. “Chester what have we for lunch today?” Dark asked as he took his own seat at the head of the table.

 

“Hmm? Oh we have tomato soup or if you prefer we have chicken soup. With grilled cheese sandwiches,” Chef replied as he began to plate up the sandwiches. Before asking everyone what soup they wanted. Poor Jesse didn’t know what soup she wanted so Wilford had Chef give her a small amount of tomato soup and said she could try his own chicken soup to see which she preferred. The officers watched Wilford like a hawk as he fed Jesse to prevent the hot soup dripping onto her skin and clothes and burning her. The poor child could hardly finish half of her soup or a quarter of her sandwich.

 

‘That’s OK sweetheart. Your tummy just needs time to grow,’ Wilford signed at Jesse who was upset for wasting the food that she couldn’t eat. Jesse nodded before yawning and snuggling into Wilford so Wilford turned her around so her front was against his front and the toddler slowly began to fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

Wilford hummed as he tucked Jesse into his and Dark’s bed, unaware that he was being watched the whole time from the door way by the officers and the translator. By the time he turned around they were gone. Wilford knew he couldn’t leave Jesse alone in-case she woke with a nightmare again so he settled into the chair next to the bed and grabbed a book from the floor to read, which happened to be one of Dark’s.

 

Downstairs the officers were waiting for Wilford’s return with Dark and Dr Iplier. “So what is taking Mr West so long?” the woman asked.

 

“Wilbraham is probably sitting with Jesse as she had a rather terrifying nightmare last night and I do think Wilbraham is a little worried about leaving her alone while she’s sleeping.

 

“It is rather irregular for a man to be watching a child while they are sleeping,” the woman sniffed.

 

“I assure you that Wilbraham is not doing anything untoward to Jesse while she is asleep,” Dark responded his body tensing slightly in anger.

 

“Miss Trinerty did not mean anything by it Mr Gray,” the first officer said before sending the woman a warning glare. “Now have you spoken to anyone about Jesse’s perforated ear drums?” the officer asked.

 

“Yes I spoke to two of my colleges at the hospital. Dr Iplier and Dr Schneeplestein they have agreed that they can do the surgery tomorrow,” Dr Iplier said.

 

“Very well Dr Gray thank you very much. We shall be back in two weeks to check on Jesse. Along with a social case worker,” the officer said and with that they shook hands and the officers left. The whole house seemed to breath a sigh of relief and everyone reverted back to their natural states. Now all that was left to do was to get the house set up for a toddler who would likely being staying with them permanently now.


	4. Opperation and Presents

The following day found Dark and Wilford once again in their civilian disguises with Jesse curled up against Wilford’s chest as they sat in the private hospital room that Dark had paid for Jesse to have while she was staying there. Jesse was dressed in a hospital gown, much to her displeasure and watching Wilford as he signed a story to her from one of the books that the hospital provided for young children. Dark had been delighted to find that Jesse loved books as the toddler kept requesting Wilford to read more, Dark just wished he could form a bond with the child also, but his knowledge of sign language was next to none and as the child could not yet read herself he couldn’t write down what he wanted to say. The piece was broken when the door was pushed open allowing entry of two Doctors, once being Dr Iplier and the other who was wearing a blue doctor’s cap over the top of his green hair and he had a surgical mask hanging from one ear. Jesse squeaked and immediately buried her face into Wilford’s chest trying to hide. So while Dr Iplier spoke to Dark about what was going to happen Dr Schneeplestein slowly approached Jesse who was watching the Doctor’s out of the corner of her eye. ‘Hello little one,’ Schneeplestein signed and Jesse’s eyes widened before sitting up and turning towards the green haired Doctor and waving timidly. ‘My name is Henrik. What is yours?’ the doctor continued.

 

‘Jesse,’ Jesse signed back.

 

‘Oh that is a lovely name’ Schneeplestein smiled before he then began to explain to Jesse what was going to happen that day. By the end of it Jesse knew everything to expect but she was obviously still scared. Wilford went down with her to the room where they would put her to sleep with the aid of the mask rather then the needle this time. Wilford held her the whole time until she was asleep.

 

* * *

 

Jesse slowly opened her eyes and blinked the bright lights out of her line of sight and immediately began to look for Wilford or Dark and panicked when he saw neither of them. But then her vision was filled by both Dr Schneeplestein and Dr Iplier. ‘Hay it’s OK little one. We are going to find Wilford and Dark no OK?’ Dr Schneeplestein signed and Jesse relaxed slightly before nodding and allowing Dr Iplier to sit her up with the bed propped up. Jesse stared in wonder as she was wheeled through the hallways of the hospital until she came back to a hallways she remembered, the one leading to her room. Dr Iplier opened the door to find Wilford pacing the room and Dark reading a book in the armchair beside the window. Both looked up at the sound of the door opening and Wilford grinned at the sight of Jesse almost bounding over to the toddler. “Can she hear us yet?” Wilford asked and Dr Schneeplestein shook his head in reply.

 

“No until we remove the cotton wool tomorrow and Edward releases his aura on her ears to allow for her to hear,” Dr Schneeplestein replied. “But tomorrow she will be able to hear yes,” he said and Wilford grinned before picking Jesse up and hugging her.

 

Once the two Doctor’s left Wilford ran a bath for Jesse while Dark kept her entertained by coloring with her in a new coloring book that the two had brought the toddler for being so well behaved. They also had another present each for her but they wanted to give them to the toddler once she was comfortable again in her own clothes. ‘Come on Jesse bath time’ Wilford signed as he re-entered the room and picked the toddler up quickly washing her, once again his aura keeping her casts dry. Once the toddler was washed Wilford dressed her in her training pants once again and a pair of navy short pajamas, the shorts were dotted with yellow stars while the top had a single yellow star with a crescent moon and the words ‘Good Night’ printed on the top. Wilford then placed Jesse’s slipper on her uncasted foot. The slippers were blue and dotted with little white stars, they were also fastened with velcro.

 

 

‘Dark and myself have a present each for you’ Wilford signed as he bent to pick Jesse up from the closed toilet seat. Jesse looked at Wilford confused, she had never had a present before and didn’t know what one was. Wilford set Jesse down onto the hospital bed with the head raised and the rails up to prevent the toddler rolling out of the bed accidentally. Dark placed a blue gift bag onto Jesse’s lap and she looked at it in confusion before looking at Wilford with her head cocked to the side. ‘Go on open it’ Wilford signed his own brow furrowing in confusion.

 

‘Open?’ Jesse signed back with a shrug and a shake of the head.

 

‘Have you never had a present before?’ Wilford signed back and Jesse shook her head and Wilford found himself once again reining his anger in at that admission. ‘Will you let me help you?’ Wilford signed back and Jesse nodded so Wilford lowered the railing on once side of the bed and sat on it beside Jesse and opened the bag for the toddler. ‘Look inside’ Wilford signed to Jesse who tipped the bag towards her and silently gasped at the sight before her, she reached into the bag and pulled out a white star with black and white stripped arms and legs with white feet and hands. The stars face was smiling at Jesse, the texture was soft and Jesse grinned before signing ‘Thank you’ over and over again towards Dark with Wilford translating. Dark just smiled and nodded his head. Wilford gained Jesse’s attention with another blue gift bag. This time Jesse knew what to do so she set her star beside her and carefully opened the bag and reached inside and she began to struggle to pull out the cloth that was inside it so Wilford helped, the cloth turned out to be a blanket, perfectly sized for Jesse. The underside of the blanket was yellow with bobbles on it and the top of the blanket was blue covered in yellow crescent moons and white stars with a few white swirls thrown in. Tears gathered in Jesse’s eyes as she cuddled the blanket and she allowed Wilford to wrap her in the blanket before cuddling her until she was calm once more and smiling happily.

 

* * *

 

That night Dark and Wilford slept through the night without being woken by Jesse’s terrified screams in the night. In-fact the first time either of them woke was when the nurses were making their rounds in the morning and came to give Jesse her medication, the toddler was still asleep so she quickly gave the toddler her antibiotics through her IV line before removing the IV line all together and then leaving the room. “Did she wake in the night?” Wilford asked in confusion as he sat up in the bed and Dark yawned behind his hand before he replied.

 

“Not that I was made aware of,” he replied before getting up and making his way to the bathroom for a shower and to dress leaving Wilford with the toddler, who still had yet to wake up but Wilford could see her beginning to stir.

 

Hours later Jesse was dressed in a fresh pair of training pants, a pair of navy pull on shorts dotted with white stars which was matched with a blue short sleeve tee with an image of a blue crescent moon on it with the words ‘Love You To The Moon And Back’ printed in the middle of the moon. Wilford then helped Jesse into her sandal on the only foot she could wear it.

Wilford settled in with Jesse on his lap while she once again colored with Dark, it seemed to be their only bonding activity at the moment but Wilford hoped that the two would be able to get along better once Jesse could hear. Just as Wilford finished that thought the door opened to reveal Dr Schneeplestein and Dr Iplier, Jesse of course didn’t notice them until Wilford patted her on the arm gently causing her to look up, the toddler smiling timidly at the two Doctors before waving and Dr Schneeplestein approached the toddler. ‘Hello Jesse. We are going to remove the things inside your ears. Then Edward is going to lift the spell on your ears and then you will be able to hear. Are you ready?’ Dr Schneeplestein asked and Jesse nodded her head before pointing to something on the bed. Dark followed her finger and got up before handing Jesse her Star and blanket which the toddler tucked into her arms before nodding her head once more. Dr Schneeplestein removed the cotton wool with minimal pain to the toddler before moving aside to allow Dr Iplier to use his aura to completely heal the ear drums and for the stitches to dissolve, except for the ones on the outside of the ears, as that would have been strange to any nurses who came in to see Jesse before she left. Silence then descended on the room as Dr Iplier removed the block on Jesse’s ears before he then nodded to Wilford.

 

“Jesse?” Wilford asked and the toddler’s eyes widened before tears filled them and her head whipped around to Wilford. “Can you hear me?” Wilford asked timidly and Jesse let out a sob before nodding her head really fast and throwing herself at Wilford, dropping her comfort items in the process, just wanting a hug.

 

* * *

 

Later that afternoon Jesse was discharged from the hospital and the toddler was gradually learning how to speak again, some things she could say before she lost her hearing but other words she had never heard spoken out loud so therefore she knew how to sign them but didn’t know how to say them. But by the time they left the hospital Jesse had picked up on more words then they thought she would have, but she still had a long way to go.

The manner was silent when they finally arrived, shedding their human disguises as they did so. The Ego’s headed to the Livingroom where a cry of “Surprise” broke out making Jesse jump and cover her ears with a whine. Dark shot them all with a cold glare while Wilford soothed the startled toddler. “This is her first day being able to hear in a long time and you all shout at her?” Dark growled. The Ego’s all looked guilty for upsetting the toddler.

 

Once Jesse got over her shock she enjoyed herself at the welcome home party that the Ego’s had thrown her before Dark decided it was time to show Jesse her final presents. These presents were from everyone. Dark lead Wilford and Jesse upstairs to Wilford’s old room and Dark slowly pushed the door open to reveal that the room had been completely re-decorated. Three of the walls had been painted a soft baby blue, but the wall opposite the door was covered in blue wallpaper which depicted a large crescent moon and a large yellow star smiling at each other surrounded by smaller yellow stars. The ceiling was painted with the same baby blue as the walls with a blue and white ceiling light that had a moon and stars design printed on it. The carpet was navy in color to offset the light blues in the room. The curtains over the window on the right side of the room were navy with yellow crescent moons and stars dotted all over it.

Leaning against the left wall was a white toddler bed which was made with a navy fitted sheet and one set of blue bedding dotted with white stars. On the wall beside the bed was a white shelf with triangles at the end of the shelf to fix it to the wall. On the shelf was a child safe CD player – that both Dark and Wilford had wound their aura’s around to make it easier and safer for a toddler to use – in the other side of the shelf was a photo frame, which was empty at this time but they hoped to fill it soon. Beside was a white bedside table with a drawer on the top and a cubby under it, inside the cubby was Jesse’s new potty. Beside that was a short white bookcase which was full of books for Jesse’s age, as well as some story CD’s that the toddler could listen to at bedtime. Then on the left side of the door was a matching five draw dresser and wardrobe. Then at the base of the bed was a soft toy cube which was navy and covered in white stars – the cube was full of toys for Jesse’s age range. Finally in-front of the window was a matching white desk with three draws down one side and this was paired with a navy blue chair – Dark had placed his aura around the chair to make it safe for the toddler to use. The table was piled with coloring books, boxes of crayons, boxes of toddler grade pencils and plain paper for drawing as well.

 

In the middle of the floor was a round blue rug with a large yellow crescent moon making up the side of the rug with lots of yellow and white stars dotted over it as well. Beside the rug was a blue beanbag chair.

On the top of the bedside table was a child safe LED blue star night light. Inside the bedside table was a white potty chair with a gray star printed on it.

“What do you think Jesse?” Wilford asked.

 

“Jesse love,” Jesse whispered tears slipping from her eyes as she looked at everything in this room.

 

“I’m glad. We have more to show you however,” Wilford said before turning towards the en-suit bathroom. The wall and floor were tiled with hexagonal blue tiles some with white star’s inside them. The shower bath, toilet and sink were all white with blue accents. Beside the shower bath was a heated towel rack to keep Jesse’s towels warm. Jesse had two blue hooded towels with a matching wash mitt with white stars outlined on the hood and the wash mitt. Across the bath was a bath rack which had toddler safe bath wash, a bottle of bubble bath and a bottle of shampoo inside it – inside the soap rack were some bath crayons - and in the corner of the bath was a bath next filled with bath toys. Next to the shower bath was a space themed bath mat which matched the cover on the toilet lid and the rug in-front of the toilet. The toilet also had a potty training seat on it which was white with gray stars on the back of it matching the step in-front of the toilet.

 

 

“What do you think of your new bathroom?” Wilford asked rocking the sobbing toddler.

 

“Love,” Jesse managed to sob out.

 

“Well we do have one more thing to show you are you ready?” Dark asked and Jesse nodded her head, and shocked both Dark and Wilford when Jesse reached out towards Dark asking silently to be held and carried by him, this was the first time Jesse had initiated contact with anyone that wasn’t Wilford. Dark hesitantly took Jesse into his arms and the toddler laid her head on his shoulder, her tears now since stopped. Dark carried Jesse to the room beside his office, which now no longer had a door in the hallway but had one leading into it from Dark’s office. Wilford opened the door and walked in first and Dark followed; Jesse gasped at the sight of the large playroom they had walked into. The room was split into four parts one part was full of colorful soft play toys for Jesse to climb on and play in – once the casts had been removed and she had been given the all clear – the next part had a large blue rectangle rug decorated with white stars and had many low level shelves at the edges of it filled with baskets upon baskets of different toys. Then the next section was a large rocket tent with a matching tunnel, the tent was full of multi colored balls. The last part was a playpen in the corner closest to the door, inside the playpen was a large soft blue rug and lots of pillows and blankets as well as a space themed toddler nap mat with matching pillow and blanket, this was obviously designed for Jesse’s nap-time.

“What do you think little one?” Dark asked as he looked down at the toddler who had lifted her head from Dark’s shoulder as they entered the room. “You will be spending most of your time in here I’m afraid, while I am working,” Dark said and Jesse smiled.

 

“Be with Dawk?” Jesse asked pointing to Dark’s office in the room she could still see through the open door.

 

“I will be in the other room working yes. Wilford works in a TV studio so wont be here very often,” Dark explained and Jesse nodded.

 

“OK. Love woom,” Jesse said slowly making sure she was right with the words before she said them.

 

“Good I’m pleased,” Dark said with a small smile. “Now lets head outside for your next surprise shall we?” Dark asked and the three headed downstairs and out of the backdoor. Jesse gasped at the change, there was now a gated off area in the middle of the grass garden which contained a paddling pool and sand pit combination, a toddler side, climbing frame, swings, seesaw, balance beams, a tricycle, a scooter and a small foot ball goal and basket ball net.

 

 

“This is all yours little one,” Dark said making a sweeping gesture with his arm to indicate what he meant.

 

“Love,” Jesse whispered again before biting her lip and pointing to the swing with a question in her eye. Dark smiled and carried the toddler over and sitting her into the swing, the last surprise could wait for a little while. It wasn’t going anywhere after all and Jesse deserved to enjoy what toys she could while still in her casts.

 

* * *

 

After an hour playing outside Dark deemed it was time to head back inside and Jesse nodded in agreement. The three walked into the livingroom once more to find Jesse’s last surprise was waiting for her. It was a toddler armchair with matching ottoman, they were blue and dotted with white stars. “Love!” Jesse cried reaching for the armchair which made Wilford chuckle – he was the one carrying her now – before setting her into the armchair and propping her leg cast up onto the ottoman.

Jesse giggled and grinned before her attention was drawn by the TV that Wilford had just put on, this was the first time Jesse had ever been able to hear the TV when it was playing and the cartoons fascinated her. Dark and Wilford smiled at the toddler who was engrossed in the show that was playing, and the two found themselves falling more and more in love with this tiny abused child.

 

* * *

 

Later that night Wilford had bathed Jesse and dressed her in her training pants and a pair of short blue strip pajamas that had glow in the dark stars dotted over the top and shorts.

Wilford then tucked Jesse into her new bed, once tucked in Dark came in to read Jesse a bed time story while Wilford set up the CD player to play none-stop lullaby's all night to help sooth any nightmares. Once the story was over Jesse was slowly drifting off with her star tucked under one arm and her blanket held in a tight fist. Dark quickly switched on the night light and – before he could loose his confidence – lent over and kissed Jesse on the head. “Good night little one,” he whispered before moving to allow Wilford to do the same.

 

“Nigh’ Papa. Nigh’ Dada,” Jesse whispered as she drifted into dream land leaving both Ego’s frozen in surprise before they shook it off thinking Jesse had just said it in her sleepy state and didn’t mean it. The two headed out of the room to get some work done before they to retired to bed.


	5. The Picture

Jesse yawned as she woke up, she was confused at first before she remembered coming home from the hospital yesterday to a new bedroom just for her, the toddler smiled as she carefully sat up and looked around the room. The little girl reached over for her night light and switched it off as the sun was reaching into the room from her curtains so it made the room bright enough for her to see, but she couldn’t do anything else due to her cast on her leg and she really needed to potty. The toddler whimpered and jammed her hands between her legs, her training pants were dry and she didn’t want to have an accident when she knew she needed the toilet. Luckily the door burst open seconds later and Wilford rushed in, he must have heard her whimpering. “Jesse whats wrong?” Wilford asked kneeling down by Jesse’s bed.

 

“Potty,” Jesse whimpered.

 

“Oh OK. Come on then,” Wilford smiled and swept Jesse into his arms and carried her into her en-suit bathroom before sitting her on the toilet. “I’ll wait outside OK? Call me when you’re done,” Wilford soothed and Jesse nodded her head and watched Wilford step back into her bedroom while she relived herself.

 

“Dada? Done,” Jesse called and her brow furrowed when Wilford didn’t just walk back into the room, had he left? Jesse started to panic at the thought. “Dada?” she called again tears collecting into her voice and eyes, the door opened the rest of the way and Wilford rushed back into the room.

 

“Oh don’t cry sweetheart it’s OK,” Wilford cooed. “I’m sorry you just surprised me is all,” Wilford said.

 

“Surprise?” Jesse asked.

 

“Well yes. I just didn’t expect you to call me Dada is all. It’s nice,” Wilford replied as he stripped Jesse off and put her into a fresh pull up. “Look at that a dry pull up! We need to get you another sticker for your potty chart,” Wilford said with a smile as he pulled a fresh pull up onto the toddler who beamed at the praise. “Now what shall we wear today?” Wilford asked leading Jesse over to the draws and wardrobe. Jesse pointed to a pair of blue and black stripped shorts that were hanging up in her wardrobe and a black tee with white outlines of stars, a crescent moon and a rocket on it. Wilford smiled at the choices and quickly dressed the toddler.

Before leaving the room Wilford grabbed Jesse’s star toy. “Have you chosen names for your toy yet?” Wilford asked as he carried Jesse towards his and Dark’s room so that he could get dressed for the day.

 

“Twinkle,” Jesse said pointing to the star, “like song,” she added and Wilford nodded as he knew the song due to the CD’s that he and Dark had got to play for Jesse while she was sleeping to try and keep the nightmares away.

 

“Well I think that is the perfect name,” Wilford smiled and Jesse smiled as well snuggling her toy into her chest.

 

“What is the perfect name?” came a tired voice from the bed, Dark hadn’t woken when Wilford had left the bed but had woken a few minutes later, he had assumed that his lover was in the bathroom but it seemed not.

 

“Twinkle. It’s what Jesse has named her star,” Wilford replied.

 

“Ahh,” Dark mumbled in reply.

 

“Go wake Dark while I’m in the shower OK?” Wilford whispered into Jesse’s ear before sitting her directly on Dark’s back making the demon grunt in pain as the toddler shifted some of his broken bones.

 

“Papa? OK?” Jesse asked tipping herself to the side so that she was laying on the bed beside Dark’s hip and then wriggling up the bed towards the head of the bed.

 

“Pardon?” Dark asked, no much more awake.

 

“Papa, OK?” Jesse asked again reaching out to pat Dark’s face from where it was turned towards her. Dark pushed himself up and turned so he was now sitting with his back against the headboard of the bed and reached down to sit Jesse up beside him under his arm.

 

“I’m OK. But why are you calling me Papa?” Dark asked.

 

“Dada like being Dada. Dawk no want be Papa?” Jesse asked tears collecting in the corner’s of her eyes.

 

“Oh no It is OK. It just surprised me,” Dark replied and Jesse nodded.

 

“Suwpise Dada to,” she said.

 

“I’m sure it did,” Dark said nodding his head.

 

“What do day?” Jesse asked snuggling more into Dark’s side and Dark pulled his arm snugly around the toddler.

 

“Hmm well Dada has to go to his studio today with Bim and the Jim’s. King is going to be out all day, Yandere is going to school, Bop is going to the music studio today, The Host will be in the library all day most likely. Google, Search, Drive and Chrome will be downstairs working on something or other. Bing is going to the Septic house today, Dr Iplier is at the hospital as always. Then Chef is going to the restaurant today, Artie is out somewhere today painting. Ed is at the ranch today doing whatever it is he actually does there. Silver will be working at the school as Ryan today, he is the schools caretaker. Reynolds will be at the building site today and Eric will be at the zoo working, he works in the butterfly section. I myself will be working in my office today and you will be with me,” Dark replied.

 

“Day wif Papa?” Jesse asked wide eyed.

 

“All day with Papa,” Dark nodded and Jesse beamed snuggling more into Dark as she did so.

 

* * *

 

Dark had been working for a few hours and it was nearing lunch time, so the demon decided it was time for a brake. He looked up at Jesse who was drawing with her jaw moving side to side as she concentrated and her brow was furrowed. Dark just watched as she scribbled and colored, not really remaining in the lines at all but it didn’t matter. Then finally the toddler stopped and just stared down at the image she had drawn. “What have you got there little one?” Dark asked standing up and making his way around the desk.

 

“Family,” Jesse replied pointing to the many stick figures on the A3 piece of white paper. In one corner was three stick figures, one wearing a blue tee, another wearing a red one and the last wearing a green one – Dark assumed these were the Google’s – then a little way off was another stick figure wearing sunglasses and a black muscle tee (Bing) next to that was another figure wearing a yellow tee (Chrome). In the opposite corner was a figure wearing a long white coat with a circle on his head (Dr Iplier), next to him was a stick figure with red where the eyes should be (The Host). Then across the bottom of the picture were five stick figures that had to be the Jim’s and Bim. Then going up the right side of the picture were stick figures that were obviously Yandere, Bop, Artie and Chef while up the left side of the paper was obviously stick figures of Ed, King, Reynolds and Eric. Then slap bang in the middle was a tiny stick figure wearing a blue tee with a sloppily drawn yellow star in the middle (Jesse) and she was ‘holding hands’ with a figure with pink hair and a pink mustache (Wilford) and also holding hands with a gray stick figure that had red on the right side of the body and blue on the left side (obviously Dark himself). But what confused Dark was the one stick figure seemingly behind bars of some sort and they were crying, while another was in the clouds with angle wings and a hay-low.

 

“Who is this Jesse?” Dark asked pointing to the angel and the figure in jail. Jesse smiled sadly at the two images running her finger over them before replying.

 

“Damie an’ Doey,” Jesse replied.

 

“Jamie and Joey?” Dark asked and Jesse nodded. “Who are Jamie and Joey?” Dark asked although he dreaded the answer he was sure to be given.

 

 

“Brodder,” Jesse replied.

 

“They are your brothers?” Dark asked and Jesse nodded. “Where are they now?” Dark asked, he could feel his aura’s pulsing behind him.

 

“Damie in the cwouds now. Doey wocked up,” Jesse replied running her finger over their images once more.

 

“Why is Jamie in the clouds and Joey locked up?” Dark asked.

 

“Bad lady hurt,” Jesse replied tears slipping down her face. “Bad lady hurt. Make bleed lots an’ Damie no wake up,” Jesse added. “Bad lady dig hole in da gawden an’ put Damie in. She cowew him owbew an’ leabe. Doey cwy an’ twy to he’p Jesse, bu’ bad lady no wike an’ wock Doey away,” the toddler finished before sobbing. Dark swept the toddler into his arms and rocked her trying to sooth her, Dark sighed as he knew he would need to call the police to report this.

 

* * *

 

Once Dark had calmed Jesse he made her lunch which consisted of a chicken sandwich with carrot sticks, hummus, apple slices, a packet of ready salted potato chips and a blueberry flavored yogurt. Once lunch was over Dark carried Jesse up to the playroom and tucked her up onto her bed, making sure she was asleep before returning to his office and ringing the police.

 

The police arrived less then an hour later, Dark answered the door – now Daemon Gray – and lead them to his office. “You said you had more information for us about Jesse’s case?” the office said once they had all settled into the office. The two officers that had attended the call were the same officers from before.

 

“That is correct,” Dark nodded in reply before passing over the picture Jesse had drawn, the only thing Dark had changed on it with his aura was to make all of the stick figures look like their human counter parts. “Jesse drew this today and said it was a picture of her family. I did not find this to be at all strange as she has taken to calling me Papa recently and Wilbraham Dada. What did seem strange to me was these two characters here,” Dark explained and he pointed to the angel and the figure in jail.

 

“Is that an angel?” the first officer asked with wide eyes.

 

“Yes it is. When I asked Jesse who the angel and the other figure was she told me their names were Jamie and Joey. Her brothers. Jamie is the angel and Joey is the figure locked away,” Dark replied.

 

“Brothers? We found no evidence of any other children in the house,” the second officer said in confusion.

 

“Jesse said that the bad lady hurt them. I think she means that her mother beat Jamie to death. Jesse then said that her mother buried him in the garden. But she didn’t say where Joey was locked away,” Dark replied and the two officers paled and looked vaguely sick.

 

“Well thank you for this. We will send someone out to look into this immediately,” the first officer said as he stood up and picked up the picture. “Do you mind if we take this for evidence?” he then asked.

 

“Of course. I have a photo copy anyway,” Dark replied and the officer nodded allowing Dark to show them out.

 

“Thank you again Mr Gray. We will return with a social worker in a week to check on Jesse and see how she is settling in,” the second officer said and Dark nodded before watching the officers leave and then closing the door. Dark reverted back to his natural state before walking into the playroom to check on the toddler, who was still sleeping peacefully and Dark sighed, this poor child had been through so much even for one such a young age and Dark hoped that now things would begin to change.


	6. Meet The Septic's

Dark could tell Jesse was nervous as she kept plucking at her blanket as she sat in her armchair in the livingroom, Dark couldn’t blame her the poor child was just getting used to the people she lived with and getting used to the fact that the people she lived with changed their faces when ever the police came, the police were still searching the house and the grounds for both the body of Josh and the possible body of James but so far had not found anything.

But now Jesse was going to meet new people that she didn’t know and she was terrified. The people that Jesse was meeting? The Septic Ego’s of course, they would be introducing them as their normal forms and as their human forms and names so that Jesse had some friends to play with. The toddler fiddled with the hem of her gray and white stripped tee that had the words ‘The cutest Kid in the Universe’ printed on it with an image of Saturn on the side of it; this paired with a pair of blue shorts decorated with multi colored stars and her space sandals.

“What is the matter little one?” Dark asked kneeling down to Jesse’s eye level.

 

“No wike Jesse?” Jesse asked with sad eyes and Dark felt his cold heart shatter at that sad face.

 

“Of course they will like you Jesse,” Dark replied in what he hoped was a reassuring tone.

 

“Papa pwomise?” Jesse asked and Dark smiled before picking the toddler up and cuddling her.

 

“Papa promises,” Dark whispered in reply, the moment was interrupted by a knock on the door and Jesse whimpered so Dark covered her in her blanket as he heard Wilford shout that he was getting the door.

 

“Hay guys! Come on in!” Wilford called with a grin and soon the livingroom was filled with all of the Septic ego’s.

 

“Where’s the little lady?” Chase asked enthusiastically as he walked in with a two year old boy on his hip and a four year old girl holding his hand.

 

“Daddy where’s Jesse? Is she hidin’?” four year old Skye as she looked around the room in search of the toddler.

 

“I think maybe she’s shy,” Chase replied as he set two year old Marshall onto his feet.

 

Skye->Marshall->

 

“Why would she be shy Papa?” five year old Oskar asked as he ran into the room dragging his eight year old brother Lucas behind him excitedly.

Lucas->Oskar->

 

“She vas had a very hard time with people,” Henrik replied placing a calming hand on both of his sons shoulders.

 

“Oh. Like Mama’s boyfriend wasn’t nice to us?” Oskar asked looking up at Henrik with a questioning gaze.

 

“Vats vite yes,” Henrik nodded and Oskar became sad before perking up once more.

 

“We can help!” he cheered.

 

“Don’t forget she has broken bones kiddo so she can’t do very much,” Jackieboy-Man reminded as he walked into the room wearing his super suit and mask, even though he wasn’t actually doing any superhero work right at this moment.

 

“Just like we have to be careful with Robbie so his arms don’t come off. Right Papa?” seven year old Lucas asked with a grin and Henrik nodded.

 

“Robbie sorry,” Robbie said with his head downcast slightly.

 

“No it’s OK Robbie. I think it’s cool!” Lucas replied with a grin patting Robbie on the arm with a smile which made the zombie smile as well. Dark raised his eyebrow as Jameson walked into room signing to Angus about something or other that the Australian seemed just as confused about. Behind them came Tommy and Clint dragging Jacques behind them, the french men was protesting about a painting he had to finish loudly in French. Behind them came Marvin who was wearing casual clothes but still had his cat mask on and he was talking with Anti.

 

“Hiya Darky!” Anti grinned making Dark roll his eyes.

 

“Must you refer to me in such a childish manner?” Dark asked.

 

“Well yeah it annoys ya,” Anti replied and Marvin let out a long suffering sigh which made Anti grin all the more and press a kiss to Marvin’s head. “So what’s with ya blanket there Dark? Feelin’ cold?” Anti teased as he stared at the blanket in Dark’s lap, the blanket that was covering up a trembling toddler.

 

“Don’t be silly Anti! that’s Jesse!” Wilford cried as he entered the room with a tray of drinks as everyone found a seat to sit down.

 

“She is very shy and scared that you will not like her,” Dark said.

 

“How is her hearing now?” Henrik asked nodding his head in thanks as Wilford passed him a glass of lemonaid.

 

“She has a little trouble with low noises and sometimes high noises cause problems. But other then that no problems at all,” Wilford replied with a shrug as he passed the four children a juice box each, keeping one to himself for Jesse when she eventually emerged from the blanket prison she was holding herself in.

 

* * *

 

It was only an hour later when Jesse peaked out from her blanket prison and it was Marshall who noticed so he crawled over with his own blanket clutched in his fist. “Hewwo,” he whispered trying not to draw the attention of everyone else in the room, he was completely unaware that everyone was actually watching while keeping up their own conversations.

 

“Hewwo,” Jesse whispered back and Marshall grinned in reply.

 

“Mawshall,” Marshall said patting his chest with a smile.

 

“Jesse,” Jesse whispered in reply.

 

“You pway?” Marshall asked.

 

“Pway? What we pway?” Jesse asked clutching Twinkle to her chest with her blanket clutched in her fist.

 

“I has toy to!” the little boy smiled rushing over to a bag near Chase’s feet and he pulled out his green stuffed diplodocus which he carried over to Jesse to show her. “Dis is Dippy,” Marshall said. “He my dino,” he added.

 

“Twinkle,” Jesse whispered showing her star to Marshall. Marshall and Jesse were chatting about their toys and soon Jesse was completely sitting up in Dark’s lap with her blanket on her lap. Dark and Wilford made sure that no one drew attention to it, but Jesse soon realized how many people were in the room and she shrunk in on herself slightly but didn’t return to her blanket cover.

 

“Dis my fam’wy,” Marshall said with a smile. “Das my Dada an’ my sistew Skwy,” Marshall said pointing to Chase and Skye who both smiled and waved to Jesse. “Den dats my cousins Wukas an’ Oskwaw an’ there Papa Uncle Henwik,” Marshall continued. Jesse beamed when she recognized Henrik and her confidence regained as she waved to the Doctor who waved back with a smile. “Dats uncle Jackie, an’ uncle Angwus, uncle Tommy, uncle Clint, uncle Wobbie, uncle Mawbin an’ uncle Anti,” Marshall finished and Jesse smiled waving to everyone new, she seemed much more at ease now.

 

* * *

 

After lunch and the children’s nap times Dark and Wilford decided it was time for Jesse to meet the human versions of the Septic Ego’s. Jesse was nervous but she knew they would be the same people who she met that morning, they would just look differently. Chase approached first changing his hair to brown and his eyes to green. “Hiya Jesse. My names Caden and these are my kids, Mackenzie and Shannon,” Chase said with a grin both kids now with green eyes instead of blue and their facial features had now changed slightly. Chase then changed himself and the kids back before moving to allow Henrik to take his place. Henrik changed his hair to black and his eyes to brown. “Hello Jesse my name is Hartman and vese vare my children Lando and Othman,” Henrik said, both boys taking on the black hair but retaining their blue eyes. Henrik then changed them all back before letting Angus take the stage. Angus developed a slight stubble and his hair shortened ever so slightly, his blue eyes darkened as well slightly.

 

“Hiya Jesse I’m Alex,” Angus grinned and Jesse nodded clinging a little more to Dark as she did so, much to Dark’s secret delight as the toddler hadn’t really spent much time with him and always wanted Wilford and not him. Dark watched as Clint walked forward next his hair changing to blonde and his eyes turning to a darker blue color.

 

“I’m Chris,” Clint said before walking off again changing himself back to allow Tommy to approch them. Tommy’s hair became shorter but remained blonde and his eyes remained blue, not much really changed about him really.

 

“I’m Tony,” he said with a grin before waltzing off to join the others pulling Clint into a head lock that had Jesse flinching and lifting her arms up for Dark to pick her up which the demon complied with as he glared at the two Ego’s while trying to sooth the startled toddler.

 

“Ignore them Jesse they’re just playing but they forget sometimes that others don’ play the way we do,” Jackie said with a grin as he approached the toddler his hair remaining brown and his eyes blue, he was now wearing glasses and a red hooded sweater and blue skinny jeans. “I’m Joseph, but I go by Joey to,” Jackie smiled and Jesse smiled as well, feeling a little more at ease now. Marvin walked forward next, his brown hair still tied in a pony tail at the back of his head and his brown eyes were mellow and hidden behind a pair of glasses similar to those Jackie had worn.

 

“I’m Malcom,” Marvin said with a slight smile before he walked out of the way to allow J.J forward with Robbie (who was now a baby of about ten months, although still dead his outward appearance said otherwise) J.J had brown hair and brown eyes, his mustache remaining in the style it always has been in. Robbie now had pale skin rather then gray skin and his purple hair was now brown along with his eyes.

 

‘Hello Jesse. I am now known as James and Robbie is known as Riley,’ J.J signed to Jesse who smiled and nodded her head to show she understood. Jacques then stepped forward his hair now blonde and his eyes a darker blue he nodded his head slightly, his accent still thick as he spoke.

 

“I am Jardine,” he said before moving off to stare out of the window, probably getting some more inspiration for his next painting. Finally Anti walked forward, his hair changing to brown and his eyes changing to a more human looking green with a slight patch of blue in it while his other eye remained blue – his human persona had a condition called heterochromia meaning he had two different eye colors – and his teeth became rounded.

 

“Hi ‘m Anthony, or Ant,” Anti said and Jesse nodded not letting up on her grip of Dark’s suit still to scared of the scene she had just had to witness.

 

* * *

 

The Septic’s stayed for a little while longer – once they changed back into their actual bodies – before deciding to return back to Septic Manner leaving Dark and Wilford to get Jesse ready for dinner, the little girl had a few nightmare's that night but she managed to remain in her own bed for the night with her toy and her blanket curled up with her to keep her safe.

 

 


	7. The Brothers

“Is everything ready?” Dark asked as he straightened out the navy dress shirt he was wearing along with a black and blue stripe tie, a pair of gray dress pants and his usual dress shoes. His black hair slicked to the side and his oynx eyes blinking, trying to adjust to the change.

 

“I think so,” Wilford replied as he adjusted his navy bow tie, the bow tie matched the color of his suspenders that he had settled onto his shoulders. Wilford was also wearing a pink dress shirt and a pair of tan dress pants with his pink dress shoes. The man’s mustache was once again black, his black hair ruffled slightly and his brown eyes soft, but no less manic looking.

 

Jesse was sitting on their bed already dressed for the day in her training pants, a pair of navy short with black suspenders – she wanted to be like Wilford – and a gray polo shirt with navy stars dotted on it she was also wearing a navy blue sock with a blue moon sleeping on it and some white stars dotted on it as well, this was under a navy high-top velcro converse sneaker. The toddler’s brown hair was freshly washed and ruffled much like Wilford’s was and her bright eyes were smiling as she played with Twinkle with her blanket laying beside her.

 

“Ready little one?” Dark asked approaching the bed Jesse looked up and nodded, but the smile left her eyes. The shadows around her writhed with her distress, even though the toddler was not showing any other signs of her distress. Dark smiled sadly before wrapping Jesse up in her blanket so she could hide along with Twinkle. “It will be OK. I promise,” Dark whispered and cradled Jesse to his chest.

 

“Let’s go,” Wilford sighed walking out of the room with Dark and the two made their way downstairs to breakfast. The other Ego’s were already there talking excitedly about everything. Everyone was already in their human disguises. The Jim’s were wearing beige cargo pants with blue button down shirts and brown dress shoes.

 

Across from the Jim’s sat Yandere who had braided her hair for the occasion, she was wearing a blue summer dress with a pair of blue high heeled converse sneakers. The teenager had some subtle make-up on and was talking about something to Mark-Bop who was sitting next to her. Bop was wearing a pair of black dress shorts with a navy polo shirt and a pair of navy converse sneakers with black sneaker socks, even his cap was missing.

 

Yandere->Bop->

 

On Bop’s other side was Dr Iplier who was wearing a blue dress shirt and a pair of blue dress pants. This was paired with a pair of black dress shoes, but the Doctor still had his stethoscope around his neck – although he was missing his head mirror, something Dark was grateful for – and his hair was slicked to the side much like Dark’s was. Dr Iplier was listening to something The Host was saying, The Host himself was now wearing his sunglasses with a red dress shirt and brown dress pants with his black dress shoes on his feet, he also had his white cane leaning between his legs.

 

Dr Iplier->The Host->

 

Across from The Host sat Artie – who for once was actually eating and not sketching – he was wearing a white dress shirt with a pair of brown dress pants and a pair of brown dress shoes, he had even forgone his red scarf and his beret. Next to him was a smiling Chef who was wearing a white and black check dress shirt and a pair of black dress pants with black and white dress shoes – he had forgone his chef coat and hat thankfully.

 

Artie->Chef->

 

On Chef’s other side was King who was wearing a yellow dress shirt and red dress pants with red dress shoes. He had forgone his crown and cape. He was talking avidly to Silver who was wearing a silver dress shirt and black dress pants with white dress shoes. He was wearing his civilian glasses as well.

 

King->Silver->

 

On Silver’s other side was Ed who was wearing a brown dress shirt with navy dress pants and brown dress shoes – although he was still wearing his cowboy hat much to Dark’s displeasure. Beside Ed was Bing who was wearing a black short sleeve dress shirt with black dress pants and black dress shoes – he had forgone his sunglasses and looked very uncomfortable – he was speaking to Chrome who was sat opposite him wearing a yellow dress shirt with gray dress pants and black dress shoes. Beside Chrome was Drive who was wearing a green dress shirt with matching gray dress pants and matching black dress shoes, in-fact all of the googles were wearing the same gray dress pants and black dress shoes. Beside Drive was Google who was wearing a blue dress shirt with the rest of his clothes and beside him was Search who was wearing a red dress shirt to go with his pants and shoes.

 

Ed->Bing->

Chrome->Drive(g)>

Google(b)->Search(r)->

 

On Search’s other side was Reynolds who was wearing a yellow dress shirt and black dress pants with black dress shoes to match. He was talking to a nervous looking Eric who was wearing a cream dress shirt and navy dress pants with specially made prosthetic’s with navy dress shoes attached.

 

Reynolds->Eric->

 

And finally between Eric and the Jim’s was Bim who was wearing a purple dress shirt with black dress pants and purple dress shoes. Bim was listening to King’s conversation and butting in every now and again.

 

 

Dark settled Jesse into her brand new booster seat between his seat and Wilford’s seat at the table. Wilford took his seat between Jesse and Chrome while Dark grabbed Jesse’s space bowl and placed a single weetabix into the bowl along with some milk. Dark then poured some chocolate soya milk into Jesse’s sippy cup – although Jesse could drink cows milk and have it on her cereal and such she digested soya better and it stopped her from being as constipated – Dark then placed it all on the table in-front of Jesse and she began to eat happily.

 

 

“Are we prepared for today? This could make and brake the ability for us to be able to adopt Jesse when the trial is over,” Dark said and everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him and listen.

 

“We are ready. The Jim’s will go outside with Yandere and Bop to play. The Google, Drive and Search will be working downstairs once introductions have been made. I myself will be sitting with The Host in the library reading. Chef will be cooking lunch in here with Artie keeping him company while sketching. Bing and Chrome will be playing video games in the games room upstairs. King and Bim will be picking flowers in the woods behind the house to place on the table at lunch time. Ed and Silver will be in the garden keeping an eye on the children. Eric, Reynolds and Bim will all be in the livingroom watching the TV or reading,” Dr Iplier replied and Dark nodded as that had been the agreed to plan and he felt himself relax slightly as he watched Wilford help Jesse to feed herself, he just couldn’t see the Manner without the toddler any more.

 

* * *

 

Only a few hours there was a knock on the manner door and everyone rushed to their places while Dark went to answer the door with Jesse cuddled up in her blanket settled on his hip and Wilford was at his side. They opened the door to the two officers that had previously been to the manner along with a plump looking woman who had long black hair braided down her back and kind green eyes. “Greetings. I am Daemon Gray and this is my partner Wilbraham West. Please come in,” Dark said allowing the people entrance to the manner.

 

“Hello again Mr Gray. This is Lily Robin she is going to be Jesse’s social worker and she will be checking up once a month on Jesse’s progress during the time of the trial. She will then be the one whom makes the decision on where Jesse would best be placed,” one of the Officers said.

 

“Nice to meet you Mr Gray and Mr West it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Lily said with a pleasant smile. “But where is Jesse?” she asked pretending not to see the blanket that Dark had on his hip, said blanket shifted slightly but Jesse remained hidden.

 

“Will? Where is the baby? I could have sworn she was with you,” Dark replied playing along and he felt Jesse shift once more grumbling slightly.

 

“I don’t know Daemy. I thought she was with you,” Wilford replied acting as well. “Maybe she’s outside with her brother and sister,” Wilford suggested.

 

“No she can’t be she’s only a baby,” Dark replied with a smirk.

 

“I no baby!” Jesse snapped from under the blanket and Dark made a surprised noise.

 

“Did you hear that? Is it a ghost?” Dark asked and Jesse threw her blanket off of her head almost smacking Dark with Twinkle in the process.

 

“No Papa it me,” Jesse said and Dark looked at Jesse with pretend surprise on his face.

 

“Jesse? Where did you come from?” Dark asked and Jesse giggled.

 

“Silly Papa,” Jesse said through her giggles.

 

“Yes Papa is very silly isn’t he,” Wilford chuckled.

 

“Yes Dada,” Jesse agreed nodding her head only to tense up when she spotted the officers and Lily standing in the hallway with her and her fathers.

 

“Hello there Jesse. My name is Lily. I just want to ask you some questions about living here. If that’s OK? I wont be taking you away unless you tell me anything of concern OK?” Lily asked and Jesse bit her lip before nodding her head.

 

“Dada? Papa?” the toddler asked and Lily smiled sadly at the toddler before shaking her head.

 

“I’m afraid they can’t be with you when I ask the questions,” Lily said and Jesse whimpered tears gathering in her eyes.

 

“What about my eldest son Bartholomew? He’s sixteen,” Dark suggested but Lily shook her head.

 

“He’s underage. If Jesse was to be with someone she would need someone eighteen and over,” Lily replied.

 

“How about my brother Charles or Charlie as he prefers to be known and my partners brother Bingham? Both are twenty and Jesse gets along with them just fine,” Dark suggested and the two officers nodded, they remembered meeting the two from their last visit.

 

“I accept that,” the first officer said with a nod.

 

“I shall go and find them,” Dark said passing Jesse to Wilford who waved their guests into the Livingroom with himself and Jesse.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t long before Dark walked into the livingroom with Chrome and Bing, Dark having informed them already as to what was happening. Jesse smiled and reached happily for Chrome, who was the gentler of the two and the android happily took her into his arms and settled the toddler onto his hip with a smile. “Hello. I’m Charlie and this is Bing we’re to be Jesse’s uncles if she comes to live with us,” Chrome said with a smile before shaking hands with Lily who smiled back. With that Dark and Wilford left the room to allow for the questioning to begin but they were nervous because they dreaded to think how Bing and Chrome would react to some of the questions. What they weren’t expecting was the screaming that started only twenty minutes in, screaming that they knew was Jesse and both men stormed into the room.

 

“What on Earth is going on?” Dark asked in anger as Chrome passed a crying Jesse to Wilford who carried her from the room to his and Dark’s room.

 

“Some of the questions upset Jesse and when Charlie tried to take her from the room to find you they wouldn’t let us and it scared her,” Bing replied with a glare and Dark felt his control slipping and knew he needed to calm himself before he did something he would regret.

 

“Please Mr Gray we meant no harm. I only wished to explain to Jesse why we had to ask the question we did,” Lily replied with a remorseful look on her face. “We did not mean to upset her so,” she added.

 

“Although I am unhappy you have furthered to upset a child who I have come to care for and who has been tramatised enough I understand the need for the questions you have had to ask her. Wilbraham will calm her and better explain the situation to her and hopefully she can then find the courage to speak with you again,” Dark replied.

 

“No need sir, from her reaction we can reach the conclusion that she is not being ill treated here. But we do still need to review the house to ensure that everything is in place to house a toddler,” Lily replied.

 

“Of course please follow me,” Dark replied with a slight bow.

 

* * *

 

“This is Jesse’s room. The door to the hallway is locked and the only door into the room is through my shared room with Wilbraham. This is more for safety reasons and we will be removing the door between the rooms when Jesse is older,” Dark said as they passed the door and Dark knocked on his bedroom door before pushing it open. Wilford placed a finger to his lips and pointed to the sleeping toddler snuggled against his leg, the dried tear tracks on her cheeks almost made Dark explode once more but he managed to prevent himself from doing so. Dark escorted the officers and Lily into Jesse’s room and showed them around before showing them the en-suit. Dark then showed them the playroom attached to his office. Then he showed them the garden allowing for them to meet The Host, Mark-Bop and Yandere. Lily seemed shocked that they had a mute and a blind person sharing the same house and wondered out loud how the two communicated when they were alone. “Bart has something similar to a calculator that he types in what he wishes to say and it reads it aloud, this allows him to communicate with Harrison, Bart can of course hear everything that Harrison says as he is not deaf,” Dark replied. This wasn’t a total lie as Bop did actually own a device like this to help him communicate with the Septic egos as they didn’t understand how to translate his way of speaking, even though Bop could sign he preferred not to although he did with J.J as they shared a similar affliction.

 

“Makes sense,” Lily nodded and Bop smiled before showing her the machine Dark was talking about and demonstrated how it worked. Lily asked the other members of the house some questions before seemingly satisfied. “Well I have to say Mr Gray I am impressed with how much Jesse has improved in just this short span of time after reading the report I did on what she was like when she first arrived here,” Lily said. “I can tell she is happy and well cared for here and I wish you all the best,” Lily added as she shook Dark’s hand.

 

“Thank you Miss Robin. I hope to see you again soon in a more positive light,” Dark said and an uncomfortable silence fell over the officers and Lily. “Is there something I am missing?” Dark asked.

 

“Could we go somewhere more private to talk? This subject is of a sensitive nature,” the first officer stated and Dark nodded wordlessly and lead them all to his office and shut the door. The officers took the couch in the room while Lily took the armchair beside it and Dark sat behind his desk facing them. “As you know you brought our attention to Jesse’s two brothers that no one had known about,” the officer said and Dark nodded, his stomach clenching as he heard this. “Well we managed the find the body of the oldest child. His name was James John and he was in a bad way when we found him. He hadn’t been buried for long, The coroner believes that the boy was only buried the same day Jesse arrived here. The boy had been beaten horrifically and it had killed him according to the coroner, but they wont know for sure until an autopsy has been completed. But we also found something just as horrifying. There was a well in the grounds of the house, Jesse’s grandparents had been rather well off and had left the house to there only daughter on the eve of their deaths. The officers shone the torch into the well expecting not to find anything except water, however it turned out the well was dry and there at the bottom was a small boy. No bigger then a four year old, his skin paper thin and stretched over his skeleton. We managed to get down there to retrieve him, the bottom of the well was caked in urine and feces as was the boy. But it also contained an empty pack of water bottles and some food wrappers. Someone had either been feeding him or had provided him with enough food until help came. Either way the boy had run out of food two days before we found him and the water the day before. We rushed him to hospital where he is in a critical condition but the hospital have confirmed that the boy is Jesse’s middle brother Joseph Arthur,” the officer explained.

 

“How critical is he?” Dark asked.

 

“The doctors were shocked he made it through the night when we found him. Although he is getting no worse he isn’t getting better either and the only reason they haven’t declared him dead is because he still has brain activity,” the officer replied and Dark felt himself pale at the thought.

 

“How long have they given him?” Dark asked.

 

“They don’t know, but if he continues to make no improvement they said maybe a few days,” the officer replied. Dark sighed and rubbed his face before nodding.

 

“What will happen to him? Both while he is in hospital and once he either dies or improves?” Dark asked and the officers and Lily became sad once again.

 

“He is a child of the state at the moment, with no family being traced and his mother in police custody awaiting trial his fate is left up to the doctors caring for him. If they decide he’s gone they will switch off the machine’s and he will be buried in a communal lot,” Lily replied around a sob and Dark felt something twist at his gut at the very thought.

 

“What is myself and Wilbraham foster him alongside Jesse?” Dark asked and Lily’s eyes lit up though her tears and the sobs.

 

“We had hoped that would be your response,” she said with a weak smile. “And as today went so well we all agree that if you and Wilbraham decided to foster Joseph as well we will allow it,” she said and Dark nodded before standing.

 

“I need to talk to Wilbraham. Please excuse me,” Dark said with a slight bow before going to talk to his partner.

 

* * *

 

 

Two hours later the papers had been sighed to declare them foster parents of Joseph as well as official foster parents of Jesse as well. Once the papers were sighed Dark showed Lily and the officers to the door and watched them go before giving the green light for everyone to change back and the house once again seemed to sigh in relief as everyone changed themselves back to their natural state. But Dark sighed because he knew he was in for a tough couple of hours explaining everything to the household and then it was the hard decision of weather or not they told Jesse.


	8. Cast's? No More!

Jesse had been living with the Ego’s for six weeks now and the court case was looming, booked for three days from now. Dark and Wilford had also told her about Joey and had taken her to see him. The shocking thing was that the shadows around Joey seemed to reach out to the shadows around Jesse, Jesse’s shadows also reached out and they seemed to connect, Joey’s monitoring machines had begun to go haywire and they had been escorted from the room while doctors tried to find out what had happened, when they were allowed back in the doctors explained that they didn’t know what had happened but Joey had begun to respond to treatment at last, he was improving. Dark was shocked that Jesse had seemed to be able to do this and not only that but it would seem that Joey was also a shadow demon, or at least half a shadow demon.

 

 

Dark sighed as shook himself from his thoughts and straightened his tie in the mirror once more, he knew the case could make or brake his and Wilford’s ability to keep Jesse and Joey once he regained consciousness and was discharged from the hospital, but he hoped there was enough evidence against the vile woman to prevent her from ever being let off with a warning. Dark was shaken from those thoughts by the sound of laughing in the room attached to his and Wilford’s and a smile found itself creeping onto Dark’s face at the sound of his lovers laughter and that of Jesse’s happy squeal. Today was the day that Jesse was having her casts removed and the toddler had been very excited about it meaning that she had woken them very early that morning so it was likely that Wilford was getting his revenge now in the form of the tickle monster. Dark walked into the toddler’s bedroom to find her laying back on her bed panting as Wilford stood over her laughing still. “Papa help!” Jesse panted through giggles as she spotted Dark in the door way.

 

“Why should I help you? You woke us up terribly early this morning young lady. I think I should just allow the tickle monster to do as he wishes,” Dark replied with a smirk.

 

“No Papa! I sowwy! Help Papa! Pease,” Jesse giggled and laughed as Wilford launched another attack making the toddler squeal.

 

“Hmm well I suppose as you asked so nicely,” Dark replied after examining his nails and then grabbing Wilford around the waist tickling the pink haired man into submission. Dark then grabbed Jesse from the bed and settled her onto his hip, the girl still in her pajamas from the night before as Dark had decided that the girl could have a bath once her casts were taken off and then she could get dressed. “Right Wilford let’s get this little one down to see Edward and get these horrible things removed from her body,” Dark said and Wilford wrestled himself up from the floor still laughing every now and again.

* * *

 

Jesse whimpered at the sight of the saw so hid her face in Wilford’s shoulder as she sat in his lap and held onto Dark’s hand with her own while leaving her cast arm outstretched and resting on the table beside her. Wilford placed a set of headphone’s onto Jesse’s head making the toddler look up but she was distracted by Dark putting on an episode of Paw Patrol and Jesse could no longer hear the sound of the saw and because she was distracted she didn’t even feel the casts being removed until the episode ended. Jesse gasped as she moved her arm and hand. “Right so no running, jumping or strenuous activity for at least two more weeks just to ensure that the bones are healed properly,” Dr Iplier said, but Jesse wasn’t listening she was to busy moving her arm and leg now that she could. The little girl stretched happily and wriggled to get down from Wilford’s lap.

 

“Whoa there little one where do you think your going?” Wilford asked.

 

“Down Dada pease,” Jesse begged pointing to the floor with large puppy eyes.

 

“Are you sure? it’s still going to hurt sweetheart,” Wilford said with a frown.

 

“Pease Dada?” Jesse begged and Wilford sighed before placing Jesse onto her feet, the toddler wobbled slightly and registered some pain in her leg but she pushed it to the back of her mind and she slowly began walking around the room with Wilford holding onto her hands.

 

“Well that’s surprising, most people with broken bones take a few hours before they even attempt to start walking again and the stiffness and pain is usually still there,” Dr Iplier said. “But then again with what she has been through the pain is probably mild compared to what she has felt before,” he added.

 

“Yes well thank you Edward. We are going to go and give this one a bath,” Dark said as his nose scrunched at the smell the casts were letting off.

 

“Yeah. Come on stinker,” Wilford grinned picking Jesse up once more to carry her to her bathroom for a nice bath. Dark had to leave the room to take a phone call leaving Wilford to dress Jesse on his own and the pink haired man smirked before grabbing out one of the tees that he had been hiding from Dark. The pink man dressed Jesse in her training pants, a pair of blue denim shorts covered in white stars, her sandals and a blue tee with black lettering spelling out ‘You Think You’re Spoiled? I Have Two Dads’.

 

 

The toddler loved being able to move her arm and walk around, but she allowed Wilford to hold her hand and carry her down the stairs. “So what should we do now that your arm and leg are almost all fixed?” Wilford asked Jesse as they slowly walked into the kitchen for breakfast.

 

“Hmm. . . pway?” Jesse asked looking up at Wilford making the man laugh.

 

“What shall we play?” Wilford asked.

 

“I dunno. Pway woom?” Jesse asked again.

 

“Sure Starlight we can play in the playroom,” Wilford smiled and Jesse grinned before digging into her breakfast, she was almost eating normal sized portions now much to the relief to those in the house. Dark then entered the kitchen and had to double take the tee that Jesse was wearing before looking over at Wilford with a raised eyebrow which the pink man decided to ignore making Dark roll his eyes as he took his usual seat at the table. He smiled as he watched Jesse use her straw cup for the first time and almost got teary eyed at the proud and awed look on her face when she realized that she could. Dark knew that he would fight against everything to keep this child in his home in his care no matter the consequences, and hopefully soon one would become two.

 


	9. The Trial

Dark blew out a deep breath as he watched himself change in the mirror he was facing. He watched his face become more angular and his cheek bones become sharper, he watched his hair change slightly and his eyes become onyx instead of the blue and red that they normally were. He watched himself become Daemon Gray, today was the day of the trial against the woman that had harmed Jesse. Dark was wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie along with his usual dress shoes.

 

Dark had slicked his hair to the side in a way that was remnant of Damian whom he had once been a long time ago before becoming Dark. Dark let out a breath through his nose before turning and leaving the room to find Wilford sitting on the bed with Jesse cuddled up in his lap reading the toddler a story. Wilford was wearing a matching black suit with a light pink dress shirt and black dress shoes, he was also wearing black suspenders but they couldn’t really be seen under the suit jacket. His hair that was now black was slicked back in a neat style and his black mustache was combed neatly.

 

Jesse was wearing a miniature short navy suit with a blue dress shirt and a little clip on tie, she had wanted to look like her fathers but Dark had told her she would get to hot so the toddler agreed to the compromise by having the shorts and waistcoat instead of a blazer and pants. But she wouldn’t budge on the dress shoes and black socks so Dark gave in – more like Wilford gave in and Dark gave up – and allowed the toddler to have the dress shoes and the navy suspenders as well like Wilford.

 

Jesse was snuggled up with Twinkle as well as her blanket content just to listen to Wilford as he read to her, changing his voice slightly for each of the characters making Jesse smile. The two looked up when they heard Dark close the door to the bathroom. “It’s time to leave,” he said and Wilford nodded closing the book before standing up and settling Jesse onto his hip. “Edward set the car seat up in the car last night so it is ready to go. Did you pack Jesse’s bag like I asked?” Dark asked as he walked towards his family.

 

“Yes it’s waiting by the door,” Wilford replied and Dark nodded before looking down into Jesse’s fear filled eyes.

 

“It will be OK little one,” Dark soothed and Jesse nodded but clutched her toys harder to herself. Dark sighed before walking from the room with Wilford following along behind. At the front door Dark bent and collected Jesse’s blue space themed backpack from the floor. Dark quickly looked inside to see what Wilford had packed. The man had packed two changed of clothes, a sweatshirt in-case it got chilly as well as Jesse’s rain-suit, Jesse’s sneakers, wipes, cream, training pants, portable changing mat, a small tub of raspberries for a snack and Jesse’s water bottle filled with apple juice for the toddler as well. Dark also found Jesse’s pacifier – which she only used for sleep – tucked into the front pocket as well in a sterilized tub just in-case she fell asleep during the case.

:

 

Dark and Wilford walked out to their back car parked outside the front door and Wilford opened to back door to reveal the black car seat covered in smiling multi colored stars. Wilford lent down and strapped Jesse into her seat while Dark set her backpack on the seat beside the toddler in-case she wanted a drink during the drive. Once Jesse was strapped in Wilford made sure her arms were out of the way as he closed the door.

 

 

“Ready?” Dark asked as the two men climbed into the front of the car with Dark driving and Wilford sitting in the passenger seat.

 

“As ready as I will ever be. I just want this to be over, for Jesse’s sake,” Wilford replied looking back at the toddler who was looking out of the window with a curious look on her face, but Wilford could also see how scared she was about today, Wilford just hoped that today would go well.

 

* * *

 

Jesse was holding both Dark and Wilford’s hands as they entered the court room with Dr Iplier’s car having pulled up not long after they arrived with both Dr Iplier in his human disguise along with Chrome and Bing in their human disguises as well. Jesse would be staying with them during the trial so she wasn’t in the room with the woman who harmed her. Jesse looked back at her family and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes at all and that worried the men present. Finally after walking for a few minutes they reached the side room where Jesse would be staying for the trial. “Ah Mr Gray and Mr West is this the child?” a man asked dressed in a suit with a stern look on his face.

 

“This is Jesse yes that is correct,” Dark replied with a frown, he did not like the man’s tone nor how he referred to a toddler.

 

“Whom will be staying with her during the trial?” the man asked as he adjusted his suit jacket and looked down his nose at the toddler who was now hiding behind Dark’s leg having let go of the man’s hand but she was still holding onto Wilford’s.

 

“My brother Charles and my partners brother Bingham will be watching her,” Dark replied with his own scathing tone and a glare in his eyes, his aura was struggling to remain contained due to his anger.

 

“Very well follow me,” the man said and turned towards the door they were stood in-front of and opened it allowing entry. The room was set out for all ages of children to stay in during abuse trials until it was time for the child to answer some questions through the TV screen and webcam at the far end. Jesse gripped onto Dark harder and Dark could feel the tears seeping into his pants, but Dark knew that he needed to leave her before she became more upset and the longer he stayed the worse it would be.

 

“OK little one it’s OK. Dada and I will see you during the brake OK? It will all be OK. Remember we love you OK?” Dark said before pressing a kiss to Jesse and leaving the room to allow Wilford to say goodbye and the two men left listening to the cry of their baby girl as they walked away.

 

* * *

 

Dark and Wilford took their places at the front of the court house with their lawyer, a brilliant ego who had not yet lost a case and Dark trusted him enough to employ him for this case. Siting in the witness box was Dr Schneeplestein as himself as he had been one of the doctors treating Jesse’s hearing. Dr Iplier was in his human disguise having been the first Dr to see Jesse when she had been brought to the house and the only Dr who lived in the house. There were also some people that Dark didn’t recognize and assumed these must have been neighbors and teachers of the children, including the brothers whom had been found buried in the back yard beaten to death. Dark felt the atmosphere change in the room and turned his head to see the woman being led into the room in a prison jumpsuit and hand cuffs around her wrists and ankles. The woman’s long brown hair was tied into a bun at the back of her neck and her eyes were ice blue and cold as she glared at the room at a large. Dark had to restrain himself as he turned his head away from the woman who glared at the men when she spotted them – Dark had visited her in prison a week ago to alter her memories so that she met the human versions of the house hold and not them in their original forms.

 

Soon the judge entered the room and the trial began, although the trial was already won and Dark knew it.

 

* * *

 

“We call Dr Elliot Gray to the stand,” Dark’s lawyer said and Dr Iplier stood up and took his place in the witness box. “Now Dr Gray you are Mr Gray’s brother am I correct?” the lawyer asked nodding to Dr Iplier.

 

 

“That is correct,” Dr Iplier replied nodding his head in answer to the question.

 

“You are also a private Dr and are licensed to practice medicine from your home. Am I correct,” the lawyer continued.

 

“That is correct yes. I believe I provided my license for this,” Dr Iplier replied and there was shuffling as Dark handed the license to the lawyer who then passed it to the judge who looked it over before nodding in satisfaction and handing it back.

 

“Now where you in the house when the child was found?” the lawyer asked.

 

“Yes I was home when Jesse was found. We immediately brought her down to my surgery at the base of the house. I unfortunately had to anethatise Jesse to be able to help her. Once she was asleep I conducted my observations on her and what I found made even my stomach turn. Jesse had a broken leg, a broken arm, she was covered in old and new bruises, she was covered in open welts and her back was covered in scars from previous whippings. Jesse was severely malnourished to the point that I could count every bone in her body by sight alone. She had many other injuries as well as can be seen in my medical report, of which I have supplied for this case,” Dr Iplier replied.

 

“We all read through the report before the trial began and the sheer amount of old and new injuries this poor child sustained were unacceptable. Would it have killed her?” the lawyer asked.

 

“I gave Jesse two more weeks before her organs would have begun to fail,” Dr Iplier replied. “If she hadn’t already succumbed to her injuries,” he added.

 

“Did you have an outside Dr check the child over as well as yourself?” the lawyer asked.

 

“A college of mine Dr Iplier also checked Jesse over two days after she came to us and already had seen some improvement but he could still see the damages caused through years of abuse. Both he and I supplied medical reports and photographs of Jesse’s injuries,” Dr Iplier replied and everyone turned to the photographs of Jesse’s injuries. Many burst into tears while other only just managed to hold themselves back but they were glaring hatefully at the woman who was on trial.

 

“I believe we should call a brake here to allow for us all to compose ourselves. We will reconvene in ten minutes,” the judge declared banging the gavel.

 

* * *

 

Dark and Wilford hurried to the room where Jesse was to find she had calmed down now and was playing with Bing when they entered the room. “Dada! Papa!” she cried happily and ran to them.

 

“Hello little one. We do not have long I’m afraid,” Dark said as he hugged the little toddler who had entered his life and changed it in so many ways, and for the better.

 

“Oh. Will it be over soon?” Jesse asked.

 

“I hope so,” Dark replied. “But I think you may have to have lunch here with Bing and Charlie,” Dark added.

 

“Oh OK,” Jesse said before pressing a kiss to Dark’s cheek before going over to have her cuddles with Wilford until it was time for the men to return.

 

* * *

 

The trial was nearing it’s end with several outbursts from the woman, which resulted in her being given her last chance of one more outburst and she would be kicked from the trial. But now it was the time Dark had been dreading, it was time for Jesse’s testimony. The screen flickered to life on the TV and Jesse’s little face filled it earning several ‘awws’ from the crowed behind Dark and Wilford which made both men smile. Jesse was wrapped up in her blanket sitting on Chrome’s lap and clutching Twinkle to her chest. Dark knew that Jesse could hear them but couldn’t see them, to prevent scaring the little girl to much. The judge asked the questions which Jesse answered with emotion, but it wasn’t until they reached the questions on when Jesse ran away did she burst into tears, but she carried on answering the questions until she couldn’t anymore and they ended the interview to the sounds of her crying for her fathers.

 

“Well I believe we should brake once more for lunch and to allow for the jury to make their decision. We will return in an hour and a half,” the judge said and banged his gavel once more allowing Dark and Wilford to bolt to the room to find a crying toddler being rocked by Chrome in attempt to settle her, but nothing was working.

 

“Oh Starlight come here,” Wilford cooed and took Jesse into his arms and soon he had calmed her.

 

“Where is Bingham?” Dark asked when he noticed that Bing was missing.

 

“Went to get some lunch,” Chrome replied. “I messaged him as soon as you walked in so he can pick something up for you as well,” he added.

 

“Thank you,” Dark nodded before taking a seat on the couch in the room beside Wilford who settled Jesse on the couch between them to allow the toddler to cuddle up to both of them, her best safety blanket.

 

Jesse snoozed off only twenty minutes later after eating her chicken nuggets, carrot sticks and her fruit bag from McDonalds. So Dark and Wilford tucked her up on the couch under her blanket with her pacifier before talking to Chrome and Bing until it was time to return to the trial room.

 

* * *

 

“This has been a long and emotionally difficult trial, but I must ask have you come to a decision?” the judge asked turning to look at the jury and the person at the head of the jury stood.

 

“We have you honer,” the person replied.

 

“And what is your verdict?” the judge asked.

 

“We, the jury, have made a unanimous decision that Joan Landar is guilty to all accounts of child abuse, child neglect, child endangerment, one accounts of murder through beating, attempted murder of another child through starvation, braking and entering and child endangerment,” the head of the jury replied.

 

“Very well. Joan Landar you are sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole and even that is to good for you,” the judge said and with the bang of his gavel the decision was made.

 

“What! No you can’t do this! The child is a freak! She deserved what she got! Let me go! She is the devil! She needs to die!” the woman screeched as she was dragged away kicking and screaming. Dark turned to Wilford with shock in his eyes.

 

“We did it Dark we did it,” Wilford whispered and Dark smiled.

 

“I know,” Dark whispered in reply and both men fell into each other’s arms only to brake apart seconds later when the door of the court room opened once more and there was the most special sound ever.

 

“Dada! Papa!” came the cry of Jesse as everyone watched the two year old run towards the two men. Dark knelt down onto one knee with his arms open wide and Jesse ran straight into them allowing Dark to pick her up and turn towards Wilford, the three hugging in their delight, they had won and Jesse would no longer be hurt by the woman who birthed her she would be free, she would be safe.

 

xxxx

 

Later that day they took Jesse to the hospital to visit Joey, the boy was still in a coma but was improving steadily, he was now breathing on his own but they kept the oxygen mask on his face just in case. The heart monitor beeped steadily and the boy was looking slightly less gaunt and dead as he laid in the bed. The hospital had been pumping food into his stomach through a tube in his nose, the food had supplements in it as well to help with the nurtirian that the boy had been lacking. The poor child also had a cannula in his arm providing him with fluids. The boy was dressed in a hospital gown and a hospital grade pull up which was changed every three hours due to the boy being unconscious. Dark settled Jesse onto the bed beside Joey and the toddler babbled along to her brother tucking the Fire Truck plush under Joey’s arm that Jesse had wanted to buy for her brother when they were told he was getting better.

 

Dark smiled at the toddler chatting to her brother, even though he didn’t reply it didn’t seem to deter her at all. Dark sighed when he spotted the clock in the room, it was getting late and they needed to get home to get Jesse ready for bed. “Jesse it’s time to say goodbye. We will come back tomorrow OK?” Dark asked laying a hand on Jesse’s back.

 

“Will Henwik take cawe of Doey?” Jesse asked tilting her head to the side with sad eyes.

 

“Yes Henrik will take good care of Joey,” Dark soothed. Once the fostering had been approved Dark had transferred Joey into the care of Dr Iplier and Dr Schneeplestein so that Dark and Wilford were informed of everything that was going on. Henrik was on duty that night, having gone home to sleep after the trial.

 

“Otay. Papa can we gets Doey a banky?” Jesse asked allowing Dark to pick the toddler up as he shook Wilford’s shoulder to wake the pink man up, he had fallen asleep in the chair after the stress of the day had ended.

 

“Of course we can. How about we buy one tomorrow and bring it with us?” Dark asked.

 

“Otay,” Jesse nodded with a yawn.

 

* * *

 

Dark bathed and dressed Jesse into a pair of black space pajamas with her training pants, he smiled as he watched the little girl giggle and play with the knowledge that her mother would no longer be able to hurt her or take her away.

 

Dark tucked Jesse up into her bed and Wilford came in to read Jesse her bedtime story as the toddler suckled happily on her pacifier and fell fast asleep a happy smile creeping at her face as her dreams became pleasant. Both fathers kissed the toddler on the forehead before leaving the room ensuring that the night light was switched on and the CD player was playing soft lullaby's.


	10. Waking Up and New Home

Jesse yawned as she woke and stretched before sitting up and switching off her night light before scurrying over to the window and opening the curtains with difficulty before then scurrying to her bathroom. The toddler stripped off her shorts and training pants before using the step to sit on the toilet and focusing. The toddler squealed and grinned when she felt herself go to the toilet. The toddler stood up and wiped herself down before pulling her shorts back on and pushing her step over to the sink so she could wash her hands. Once done the toddler ran from the room and grabbed her slippers before running to her parents room. There was a box at the bottom of her fathers’ bed that she scrambled onto before jumping up onto the bed and crawling to the space between her two fathers. The toddler hummed in thought looking between her two fathers before grinning and standing up carefully on the bed and then jumping up and down. “Papa! Papa! Dada! Dada! Wakes now!” Jesse cried with giggles as she flopped down onto the bed when both Dark and Wilford groaned at the wake up call.

 

“Jesse? What are you doing up?” Dark asked, his voice thick with sleep.

 

“Wee wee!” Jesse grinned.

 

“Did you do a wee in your potty all by yourself?” Wilford asked sitting up, although his voice was still thick with sleep.

 

“Big potty,” Jesse nodded.

 

“The toilet?” Wilford asked sounding more awake now.

 

“Yes!” Jesse said nodding really fast and then squealing in excitement as Wilford snatched her into his arms and started planting kisses all over her face. “Stop Dada! Stop!” Jesse giggled trying to catch her breath but failing.

 

“Let her breath Wil,” Dark laughed before turning his head towards his phone which had started to ring. Dark frowned when he saw who was ringing and excused himself to answer it.

 

“Well while we are waiting for Papa shall we go and get dressed?” Wilford asked stopping his kissing assult on Jesse’s face.

 

“Otay,” Jesse nodded and allowed Wilford to carry her to her bedroom, once they were in there Wilford put her down to allow Jesse to choose her clothes. The toddler chose her training pants, her sandals along with a pair of denim pull on shirts decorated in navy stars, this was paired with a white tee with the words ‘It takes 2 dads to be this cute’ printed on the front of it.

 

Once dressed Wilford took Jesse’s hand and lead her back to the master bedroom to get himself dressed after a shower. Jesse happily sat on the bed playing with Twinkle while Wilford had a shower. Just as Wilford was leaving the bathroom Dark reentered the bedroom. “Jesse why don’t you go and wake Bop up and get him to take you downstairs? I need to talk to Dada OK?” Dark suggested.

 

“Otay Papa,” Jesse nodded and let Dark help her to the floor before she rushed down the hall to Mark-Bop’s room.

 

“What’s wrong Dark?” Wilford asked taking a seat on the bed as Dark sat next to him.

 

“That was Dr Schneeplestein on the phone,” Dark said.

 

“Oh no,” Wilford whispered, thinking the worst – although Wilford didn’t really understand death for some reason death seemed to be easier for him to grasp when it was children for some reason – and clutching Dark’s arm in his distress.

 

“No it’s good news. Joseph started to stir last night. He hasn’t woken yet but Dr Schneeplestein thinks it could be as early as today or as late as tomorrow for him to wake up,” Dark replied.

 

“Really?!” Wilford asked in excitement and Dark nodded.

 

“They are going to keep us updated, I said it wouldn’t be good for us to be there when he first wakes up as he doesn’t know us. Being a doctor we believed that it would be better for him and Edward to be there when he first wakes up to explain everything,” Dark added. “But I thought about decorating the boys room today ready for him to come home,” he added.

 

“Oh yes! Jesse would love to help,” Wilford said with a grin.

 

“I know. But I don’t want to tell her about Joey. I want it to be a surprise,” he said and Wilford nodded his head in agreement.

 

* * *

 

Later that morning Jesse was sat in the middle of the bedroom opposite to her room, it was a storage room but everything in it had been moved to the attic now to be sorted out later. Already the room had a soft red carpet on the floor and the furniture was placed in the same place’s as in Jesse’s room. The bed was covered in a red fitted sheet with white bedding covered in road tracks and different vehicles. There was a rug just appearing where Jesse was sitting making the toddler giggle. The rug was round with a fire engine in the middle of it. Then came the red beanbag chair that matched Jesse’s own. The bookshelf was full of books for Joshua’s five year old age, including books that would help him to learn to read. The soft cube toy box matched the bedding and the curtains over the window. The matching shelf over the bed contained a red CD player that matched Jesse’s own one, this one also had an empty photo frame on it. Then on top of the bedside table was a LED night light in the shape of a car, the light was originally blue but Dark had used his aura to change the color to a soft soothing red instead.

 

Then the bathroom connecting to the room was exactly the same as Jesse’s but the tiles were red instead of blue. The boy also had different towels, shampoo and body wash but the bubbles were the same. The bath mat, toilet mat and the toilet cover were covered in fire trucks instead of space.

 

Then downstairs there was now a red armchair to match Jesse’s blue armchair.

 

“Banky?” Jesse asked looking up at Dark as the last of the room settled down and she turned to look at Dark and Wilford.

 

“Shall we go now? We did promise after all,” Dark asked with a grin and Jesse grinned as well before nodding really fast and rushing from the room to grab her bag in her room with Dark and Wilford following behind both laughing.

 

Soon Jesse was strapped into her car seat with a black and white car seat now beside her decorated in buses and cars ready for Joey.

Jesse babbled to Dark and Wilford – who were in their human disguises to prevent themselves from being recognized – about everything she missed about Joey and what she wanted to do once he woke up again. She also talked about what she wanted to give him along side his blanket. Dark and Wilford both listened with smiles on their faces as they hummed in acknowledgment when needed to.

 

* * *

 

Jesse fell asleep while they were shopping and now Wilford and Dark were hiding themselves in the shadows of the nearest alleyway to grab the stroller from home, Dark ripped into the void to grab it and once he had the navy stroller Wilford lent down and strapped Jesse in before taking hold of the handles to push it.

 

Dark used his aura to ensure that Jesse wouldn’t loose Twinkle before placing the toddlers bag in the compartment under the seat and with that the two returned to shopping once more. “What else do we need to get before Joey comes home?” Wilford asked as the two Demons – in human form – walked through the mall. They had already got clothes to fill the wardrobe and dresser, which Wilford had sent home using his own aura and they were waiting in the bags in Joey’s room.

 

“Well Joey may need a booster seat, but he will know to sit still so we just need one without the restraints on it, just so he can reach the table. It would be nice to get him a dinner set like Jesse has and we still need to get the blanket that Jesse wants to get for him,” Dark replied and Wilford nodded and they headed towards the store they needed where they managed to grab a red booster cushion that attached to the chair but not the child. They also grabbed a matching dinner set with a matching knife, fork and spoon set. The set even had a matching straw water bottle that the two also grabbed as well as a matching snack box and backpack which they grabbed as well.

 

The couple wandered around for a while before Jesse began to wake up, once they had fed the toddler they set off once more to find the blanket that Jesse so desperately wanted to buy her brother and it took no time for the toddler to find the perfect one. The blanket was a soft fleece with multi colored stripes all down it with different forms of transport going along each stripe.

 

Dark smiled and they paid before nodding to Wilford, Dark had received a message from Schneeplestein saying that Joey had woken up and seemed to have taken the news well. They were now welcome to visit the new addition.

 

* * *

 

They drove home and Dark quickly walked to Joey’s room and packed the boys new backpack with two clean pairs of pajamas, a trucks bath robe, a fire truck shorts set for the day he was discharged, a pair of fire truck slippers, a pair of fire truck sandals, a pack of underwear, the boys blanket, the boys fireman rain coat, rain pants, wellington boots and hooked the umbrella to the bag as well.

Pajamas->

Clothes->

Shoes->

Other->

 

They could walk to the hospital from home so decided to do just that as it was a nice day. Dark hooked the backpack to the stroller along side Jesse’s and the family made their way to the hospital with Jesse babbling to Twinkle the whole way there about what she wanted to talk to Josh about that day, even though he couldn’t answer.

 

When they arrived they were met by Dr Iplier as Dr Schneeplestein was on his lunch brake at the time. “Hi. He woke up as you know, Henrik showed him the pictures of you and of Jesse. The pictures he showed of you was in both your human disguise and in your regular appearance, both had Jesse in the image so that he could see her with both of your forms. Henrik explained to Joey about the trail, without detail of course and explained that you were now looking after Jesse and would be looking after him when he left the hospital. He seemed really happy that Jesse was safe and that his mother was in jail for the rest of her life but he is very scared and nervous about meeting you. Mainly because he believes that he is a bad boy who needs to be punished and who doesn’t deserve a nice home. We tried to explain to him that he wasn’t bad but with five years of abuse under his belt its going to take a lot more time to reassure him then it is to reassure Jesse,” Dr Iplier explained and Dark nodded as he listened. Wilford was half listening as he distracted Jesse from what they were talking about.

 

“Is he awake now?” Dark asked and Dr Iplier shook his head.

 

“No he fell asleep not long after lunch. We managed to get him to eat some mashed potatoes in gravy, but he isn’t able to eat much, he only managed two fork fulls before he couldn’t manage any more. We are giving him special PediaSure SideKicks drinks to aid in filling in the gaps of his nutritan. This along side regular small amounts of food rather then full meals we are hoping that it will help his wait gain and enable his stomach to handle more food until he can eat regular meals. We wont be satisfied to let him leave until he has started to gain wait and is eating at least half a plate of food and more solid food as well,” Dr Iplier replied and Dark nodded once more. “You can go in by the way, just buzz the nurses when he wakes up so that he can have his next lot of drinks and a small snack,” Dr Iplier said and with that he left to finish his rounds while Dark, Wilford and Jesse entered the room where Joey was. The boy already looked much healthier then the day before, he no longer had the Oxygen mask over his face and no longer had the tube in his nose to feed him. He looked much cleaner and his hair was no longer greasy, but was far to long and Dark new they would need to cut it soon. Jesse immediately began struggling in her stroller wanting to be let out which made Wilford chuckle before bending down and letting the toddler out who toddled over to the bed and pointed to it giving Wilford the puppy eyes which made Wilford laugh. The pink haired man removed Jesse’s sandals and helped her onto the bed so she could sit beside her brother.

 

“Dada banket?” Jesse asked pointing to Joey and Wilford nodded before grabbing out the fleece blanket they had brought and he helped Jesse to uncover her brother and then recover him with his new blanket rather then the hospital blankets, Joey seemed to relax more in his sleep at the feel of the blanket over him and Jesse smiled before yawning once more, she hadn’t slept for long and had been up early so it was no surprise to Dark that she was tired again.

 

“Let’s quickly change your pull up and go for a wee and then you can sleep next to Joey OK?” Dark said reaching for the sleepy toddler who was rubbing her eyes and nodding her head in agreement so Dark swiftly carried her to the bathroom attached to Joey’s hospital room and changed Jesse’s dry pull up for a fresh one and sat her on the toilet. He then carried her back into the room and Wilford pressed the toddler’s pacifier into her mouth and then passing Dark Jesse’s blanket and Twinkle which the toddler had left in the stroller in her excitement. Jesse was asleep as soon as Dark tucked her into the bed beside Joey under her own blanket and the two Ego’s looked down at the sleeping siblings, they could clearly see the resemblance between the two – even the shadows that moved around the two as they slept seemingly dancing together in their sleep – the hair color for one and they had no dought that their eye color was the same, the facial structures were the same although Jesse was slowly becoming more rounded now that she was eating correctly. Dark sighed sadly at how these two children had been treated and the fact that so young they had lost one of their own and Jesse had seen it happen.

 

“They’re going to be OK Dark aren’t they?” Wilford asked snuggling up into Dark’s side to prevent Dark seeing the worry on his face but Dark knew.

 

“It will take time Wilford but eventually they will be OK,” Dark replied and Wilford sighed before nodding and with that the two settled down into the chairs in the room to do some work while waiting for the two children to wake once more.

 

* * *

 

As it turned out it didn’t take as long as they thought it would before Jesse was waking up once again, but the toddler just lay there watching her brother and suckling her pacifier sluggishly and then all of a sudden Joey began to move around a bit and Jesse shot up into a sitting position her pacifier falling from her mouth as she gasped and Joey’s eyes opened. Joey turned his head towards the sound and his own eyes widened before tears filled his eyes - eyes that matched Jesse’s own in shape, color and shade – and he reached his arms towards his baby sister. “Jess,” the boy rasped and Jesse fell into her brothers arms both sobbing as they held each other.

 

“Doey! Doey! Doey!” Jesse chanted tears falling down her cheeks as she cuddled him.

 

“It OK Jess, it OK,” Joey soothed.

 

“No Dess no mowe. Jesse now,” Jesse replied.

 

“Jesse?” Joey asked and Jesse nodded and Joey smiled. “I think that’s a better name,” he said and Jesse beamed hugging her brother once more.

 

“Doey, Dada an’ Papa!” Jesse said suddenly sitting up and pointing to Joey as she said his name and then pointing to Wilford and Dark in turn – both still in their human forms. Joey looked over at the two men in the room and his eyes widened, he hadn’t even noticed them until Jesse had pointed to them.

 

“Hello little one how are you?” Dark asked keeping his voice low and calm so he didn’t scare the child.

 

“Hi,” Joey squeaked in reply.

 

“Day nice Doey. Save Jesse, Jesse food an’ bed! No hit no shout,” Jesse babbled smiling widely as she explained about them and Joey’s eyes widened before narrowing suspiciously and Dark’s shoulder sagged slightly to know that it was going to be a lot harder to earn Joey’s trust but he was willing to wait it out for however long it takes.

 

“I’m going to find Dr Iplier or Dr Schneeplestein and inform them that Joey is awake and ready for his drink and snack,” Dark said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice but Wilford heard it and so had Jesse and she looked after Dark sadly as he left the room.

 

“Papa sad?” Jesse asked looking over towards Wilford who had also watched Dark leave the room.

 

“No Papa isn’t sad. Just disappointed is all,” Wilford replied and Jesse frowned.

 

“Why?” she asked scooting closer to Wilford without climbing over Joey who was watching the interaction curiously.

 

“Because he thinks that Joey doesn’t like him,” Wilford replied as he carefully lifted Jesse onto his lap. “Like how he struggled to talk to you when you couldn’t hear. He just feels like Joey doesn’t like him yet and he’s disappointed that Joey didn’t like him right away,” Wilford said trying to explain it in a way that Jesse would understand and Jesse nodded.

 

“Otay,” Jesse nodded before hugging Wilford and wriggling back onto the bed to play with Joey.

 

* * *

 

Surprisingly it was only two days later when the doctors declared it safe for Joey to return home due to having a doctor on hand in the manner already. Although the other doctors and nurses believed that it was Dr Gray who would be looking after Joey not Dr Iplier. Dark decided it would be a nice surprise for Jesse, who was having her afternoon nap at the moment with Wilford in the master bedroom, to wake up to Joey already in the house. Dark climbed into the car, although he could walk it he didn’t want to force Joey to walk home when he just got out of hospital so decided to drive the five minutes to the hospital to pick the boy up. Dr Schneeplestein was in the room when Dark arrived explaining to Joey everything that was going to happen when Dark arrived. “It vill be OK Joey. I vill be next door if you need to talk at all. Vut I pvomis zey are nice,” Dr Schneeplestein said and Joey nodded his head, he was still dressed in a pair of pajamas but his cannula had been removed from his arm the day before and the boy had been walking around the room in his slippers for the last few days to regain the balance he lost being locked in the well for so long.

 

“Hello,” Dark said making his presence known, Joey jumped at the sudden sound of his voice but didn’t react other then that.

 

“I vill leave you two an’ come vack soon vith ze papers,” Dr Schneeplestein said and with that he left the room leaving Dark and Joey alone once more.

 

“Shall we get you in the bath and then get you dressed to go home?” Dark asked and Joey’s eyes widened in fear and he started to shake. “What’s wrong?” Dark asked taking a seat on the chair beside the bed.

 

“Please don’ send me back,” Joey whispered and Dark’s brow furrowed in confusion and he reviwed what he had said to Joey and realized that Joey didn’t count the manner as home yet as he had never been there.

 

“No little one I’m not sending you back there, no one is there any more anyway. No you are coming home to the manner with myself, Wil and Jesse and the other people who live there,” Dark explained.

 

“Home?” Joey asked and Dark nodded and so Joey’s shaking began to lessen so Dark took that as a sign that he could approach the boy.

 

“Can I pick you up and carry you to the bathroom for a bath?” Dark asked his arms outstretched but not touching the boy yet. Joey looked Dark in the eye for a moment before slowly nodding his head and allowing the Ego to pick him up and carry him to the bathroom.

 

* * *

 

An hour later Dark was strapping Joey into his car seat with the boy clutching his fire truck for dear life – Joey had named the truck Hero as firemen were heros – and Dark laid the boys blanket beside the car seat in case Joey wanted that as well even in the August heat. Joey looked apprehensive and uncomfortable in his car seat. “Joseph have you ever been inside a car?” Dark asked turning in his seat to look back at Joey.

 

“No sir,” Joey whispered his eyes wide with fear.

 

“It’s OK to be scared little one you don’t have to be brave all of the time. Jesse was scared her first time as well but she seems to enjoy it now watching the trees or the street lamps go by. She’s starting to count them now, it’s quite amazing to hear,” Dark replied with a chuckle at the end and Joey cracked a smile as well. “This ride is only short but if you need to stop we will OK?” Dark asked and Joey nodded so Dark buckled up and started to drive. For the first minute or so Joey had his eyes screwed shut, but the gentle rocking motion of the car soon had his eyes opening and he stared in amazement at the things going past his window as the car moved and soon they were pulling into the manner’s drive way. As Dark helped Joey out of the car the front door opened and Jesse came running towards the car with Wilford leaning against the door frame with his ankles and arms crossed and a smile on his face, in his natural state and not his human disguise and Dark let himself relax and return to his normal form as well.

 

“Doey home?” Jesse asked hugging her big brother to her and Joey smiled for the first time since Dark had collected him from the hospital.

 

“Yes Jesse I’m home now,” Joey smiled hugging his little sister as if he would never let her go.

 

“Papa, Jesse show Doey woom?” Jesse asked looking up at Dark and holding out her arms and Dark obliged and picked the toddler up.

 

“You want to show Joey his bedroom?” Dark asked and Jesse nodded her head. “Of course we can,” Dark replied and Jesse grinned and wriggled down from Dark’s hip before grabbing Joey’s hand and dragging him off towards Wilford and grabbing his hand as well and then trying to drag Wilford off as well making the pink ego laugh as he stood still making Jesse run in place.

 

“Dada!” she finally whined stamping her foot at him making Wilford raise his eyebrow as she had never done that before, but he let it slide.

 

“I’m waiting for Papa, you don’t want to leave him out do you?” Wilford asked and Jesse shook her head sadly before running over to Dark and asking silently to be picked up again which Dark did so, once Jesse was on his hip she buried her head in his shoulder hiding her face.

 

“Nice going Wil,” Dark said rolling his eyes.

 

“I didn’t mean to upset her,” Wilford said his eyes sad as he looked at Jesse a little lost, he had never upset her before.

 

“I know you didn’t,” Dark reassured before pressing a kiss to Wilford’s lips and taking his hand in his. “Now we have a bedroom to show our newest member,” he added smiling down at Joey who smiled weakly back, but he allowed Wilford to pick him up which surprised both Ego’s but they chose not to mention it. The two ego’s carried the children upstairs and stopped in the middle of the hall with Wilford frowning at the door leading to Jesse’s room from the hall, the door was still locked.

 

“Do you think we should unlock the door now? It would be nice for Joey to be able to get to Jesse and the other way around without them having to go through our room,” Wilford asked looking over at Dark who sighed but nodded in agreement. Wilford smiled and used his aura to sort out the door before turning away from it, missing the wide eyed look Joey gave him from his seat on Wilford’s hip. “Right well Mr Joey this is Jesse’s room and the one next to that is mine and Dark’s room OK? But this. . .” Wilford paused for effect as he swung the door open “. . . is your room,” he said with a grin his arm outstretched into the room as if he was showing it off, which knowing Wilford he probably was.

Joey looked at the room with wide shocked eyes as he tried taking everything in all at once then his eyes filled with tears and he turned to look Wilford in the eye for the first time.

 

“Mine?” he asked his voice just a whisper.

 

“All yours Joey, everything is yours,” Wilford replied with a sad smile as he hugged the five year old to him to sooth his cries, Jesse soon joined the hug as well meaning that Dark also had to as the toddler was still on his hip.

 

“It otay Doey,” Jesse cooed patting Joey on the head awkwardly and frowning at the length of his hair, reaching to the middle of his back it really was to long for the boy. “Dada cut Doey haiw?” Jesse asked as Wilford continued to comfort the five year old.

 

“Hmm? Oh yes if he wants me to,” Wilford replied.

 

“Lets allow him to adjust to his new room first hmm?” Dark suggested and Jesse nodded before pointing down at the floor so Dark placed her down and Wilford placed Joey down, the boy finally calmer. Jesse took her brother’s hand and dragged him around the room explaining everything that was there and showing the room off. Joey clutched his firetruck in his arm and his sister hand with his other hand as he looked around shocked at everything.

 

* * *

 

Later that evening Dark and Wilford were giving the children their baths, it had been a long day for the children – especially Joey – and both were tired. “How do you like your new home?” Dark asked as he helped Joey out of his bath and wrapped him up in his towel while he drained and rinsed the bath.

 

“It big. But nice,” Joey replied in a whisper. “Lotsa people,” he added as an after thought.

 

“Does that upset you?” Dark asked looking at Joey and the boy shrugged.

 

“I don’ tink so. Jesse happy so I’m happy,” Joey replied with a nod which caused the hood of his towel to fall over his eyes which made him giggle which in turn made Dark smile.

 

“Well let’s get you dried and dressed and we can go and join everyone for movie night OK?” Dark asked and Joey nodded allowing Dark to help him get dried before Dark left the boy to get dressed by himself at Joey’s request.

Joey dressed himself in a pair of drynites pajama pants – he had been having nightmears which often lead to him wetting the bed so the hospital had suggested them - , a pair of firetruck pajamas, his slippers and his robe.

 

Once dressed he grabbed Hero and his blanket before walking to Jesse’s room, the door was open so he walked in to find the room empty but he could hear Jesse and Wilford taking in the bathroom so he took a seat on the rug to wait for them. It didn’t take long before Wilford walked out carrying Jesse on his hip who was dressed in her training pants, a pair of blue star and moon pajamas, her slippers and her robe as well.

 

“Doey!” the toddler cheered when she spotted her brother sitting on her rug.

 

“Hay little man. Do you mind watching your sister while I get dressed?” Wilford asked.

 

“Otay,” Joey nodded and Wilford smiled and ruffled the boys hair – which he had cut once the boy had finished looking around his room and it was now just a little shorter then Jesse’s in length.

 

Joey before and after->

 

* * *

 

Wilford walked into the bedroom to find Dark just changing into his black silk pajama pants and the charity made Darkiplier tee which made Wilford snigger but he didn’t comment.

 

“Where are the children Wil?” Dark asked as he turned to look at his lover.

 

“Both in Jesse’s room. Joey is watching her,” Wilford replied and Dark nodded making his way into Jesse’s room while Wilford showered and dressed in a pair of pink pajama pants and a Warfstache tee.

 

Once Wilford was sorted out he walked into Jesse’s room to find Dark with both children snuggled up on either side of him while he was sat on the rug reading them a story. Dark looked up when Wilford entered the room and rolled his eyes at the tee that Wilford had chosen for the night but chose not to comment as he finished the story. “Ready for movie night?” Wilford asked swinging Jesse up into his arms and letting the toddler cuddle up to him while Wilford grabbed her pacifier – which he stuck in his pocket for the time being -, blanket and Twinkle while Dark picked up Joey, his blanket and Hero.

 

“Yes!” Jesse cheered with a large smile on her face and Joey slowly nodded watching his baby sister, who seemed so comfortable and out going now, not like how he remembered her and it scared him a little bit but he always relaxed when he realized no one was angry with her for being the way she was. Sometimes he forgot that he didn’t need to sign to her any more and sometimes found himself doing it anyway much to her amusement. “Mo’e?” Jesse asked tilting her head to the side and braking Joey from his thoughts.

 

“What movie is it?” Wilford asked and Jesse nodded. “It’s Lilo and Stitch,” Wilford replied and Jesse nodded, having not seen that one yet.

 

* * *

 

The movie had been a hit with Jesse who had fallen in love with it, Dr Iplier said it was probably because she related to the character of Stitch who had no family and then found one and Dark nodded in agreement and made a mental note of presents for Christmas. It only took a few moments for the children to fall asleep tucked up in their beds once the movie was finished, but Dark found himself sitting in Joey’s room long after he was sleeping just to watch him, but soon he also found the call of sleep to be to strong so left to find Wilford already asleep in their bed with Jesse’s bedroom door cracked and Dark could hear the soft breathing a mumbles of the sleeping toddler. Dark smiled, his little family were now under one roof and no one was going to take them from him, he would make sure of that.


	11. Sleepover and Adoption pt 1 The Septics

It was now nearing September and the weather was becoming more chilly, the Manner had received many more visits from Social services who decreed their home to be child friendly and that the children were happy and seemed safe and unharmed. Jesse had now moved on from pull ups to cloth potty training pants, these pants were thicker then normal pants but still allowed the child to detect when they were wet. The toddler had been very proud of her pants and today would be the first day she would be wearing them.

Jesse yawned as she opened her eyes slowly before stretching and slowly sitting up in her bed, the sun was just peaking through the gap in her curtains so she reached over and switched off her night light and scrambled out of her bed waddling to the toilet which she quickly used and stripped off her new drynites, Jesse now wore the same drynites as Josh did during the night. Jesse grinned when she realized her drynite was dry and she ran from her room and into her father’s bedroom, without putting her pajama pants back on.

 

“Dada,” Jesse called shaking Wilford arm which was hanging over the side of the bed, but Wilford didn’t stir except to roll over and Jesse frowned because he was now out of reach so she toddled around the bed to Dark’s side. Dark was turned towards Jesse and his face was just in reach so Jesse patted it and Dark startled awake only to relax when he saw Jesse standing beside the bed.

 

“Jesse are you OK?” he asked sitting up, only to then notice the state of undress Jesse was in.

 

“Jesse where are your pajama pants?” he asked and Jesse looking down before giggling.

 

“Don’ oh Papa,” she replied with a shrug.

 

“You don’t know?” Dark asked and Jesse shook her head. “Well let us get you dressed then before we go and get breakfast hmm,” Dark said with a raised eyebrow and Jesse grinned before nodding and running into her room once more, she was excited about her new training pants and was bouncing next to her dresser when Dark walked in which made Dark chuckle. “What ones would you like to wear?” Dark asked holding out three options for Jesse too choose from and the toddler pointed to a white pair covered in a space design and Dark grinned, he knew Jesse would choose those. Dark quickly pulled them onto Jesse before stripping the toddler of her pajama top and setting it aside to be placed in the dirty laundry hamper later. “Now what would you like to wear?” Dark asked once he pulled an undershirt onto the toddler, the undershirt was gray and decorated with stars and a pair of blue, red and green socks which were also decorated in stars. Jesse seemed to think for a moment before pointing to her wardrobe which Dark bent down to open and then moved aside to allow Jesse to look through her clothes and soon the toddler selected a blue tracksuit with a star on the sweater and on the top of one leg of the pants. “Very well,” Dark nodded and quickly helped the toddler get dressed before helping her into her slippers as well.

 

“Shall we go and find Joey?” Dark asked once Jesse grabbed Twinkle from her bed and the toddler nodded before taking Dark’s hand and the two walked across the hall to Joey’s room. Dark pushed the door open and the two walked in to find Joey just walking out of his own bathroom, the boy startled until he realized who it was and he smiled. “Good morning Joey. Did you sleep well?” Dark asked.

 

“Yes Papa,” Joey nodded, the boy had begun referring to Dark and Wilford as Papa and Dad only a week after coming to live with them.

 

“Shall we get dressed and have breakfast?” Dark asked once more.

 

“OK Papa. Meet you in your room?” Joey asked tilting his head and Dark nodded so Joey started removing his pajamas as Dark led Jesse back to the Master bedroom.

 

When Dark and Jesse entered the master bedroom Dark set Jesse on the bed with a smile before going to the bathroom to shower and dress in his usual gray suit and tie. Jesse crawled over to Wilford and clambered onto the man – who was sleeping on his stomach – and patting his bare back. “Dada?” she said, but Wilford still didn’t respond. “Dada!” she called loudly and Wilford flinched slightly but didn’t really wake up. “Dada!!!!” Jesse shouted and Wilford shot up throwing Jesse off his back, luckily the toddler landed on the bed and not the floor.

 

“What?! Whats going on?!” Wilford cried in surprise looking around wildly before his eyes landed on Jesse who was laying on the bed wide eyed and shaking slightly. “Jesse? Are you OK?” Wilford asked reaching out for the toddler who flinched away. “Jesse?” Wilford asked softly and the toddler’s eyes snapped to Wilford before she burst into tears and reached for him. “Hay hay it’s OK,” Wilford soothed as he gathered Jesse into his arms and began to rock her as both Dark and Joey burst into the room. Joey was now dressed in a pair of black fire truck underpants, a pair of fire truck socks and a white fire truck undershirt; he was holding his gray and red sweatshirt, a pair of red sweat pants and his slippers in his hand.

 

“Jesse! What wrong with Jesse?!” Joey cried throwing his clothes to the floor and scrambling up the bed with difficulty.

 

“I startled her I think,” Wilford replied rocking the toddler from side to side trying to calm her.

 

“Did eh truh uoy?” Joey said focusing on the toddler who sobbed still but shook her head in reply and Joey seemed to calm a little. “Tahw gnorw?” Josh asked, much to the confusion of Wilford who couldn’t understand anything he said.

 

“Adad ekaw ‘na I dellaf ffo,” Jesse sobbed, although she was staring to calm now by the sound of it.

 

“Oh OK,” Joey said with a sigh and settled down no longer feeling the need to protect his baby sister anymore before blushing and climbing from the bed to stand beside his clothes that he had thrown on the floor. He swiftly pulled on his remaining clothes and stood scuffing his feet on the floor and looking down as if he was ashamed of himself.

 

“Whats the matter Joey?” Wilford asked as he continued to rock Jesse just to ensure she was OK.

 

“I sorry. Thought you hurt her,” Joey whimpered still refusing to meet Wilford’s eyes.

 

“I can understand why you would think that Joey, but I promise I will never hurt Jesse or you,” Wilford said as he knelt on the floor so he was eye level with Joey and still holding Jesse on his hip.

 

“I know,” Joey said finally looking up at Wilford with tears swimming in his eyes which just made Wilford pull him into a hug.

 

“Well is this hug just reserved for Dada or can Papa take part as well,” came Dark’s voice from the bathroom door.

 

“Papa,” Jesse and Joey replied at the same time which made Dark chuckle before sitting himself on the bed and allowing both children to snuggle up to him while Wilford took a shower. Dark managed to work out what had happened that had caused Jesse the distress that morning and was delighted when Wilford left the bathroom that both Joey and Jesse wanted to be carried downstairs by him.

 

“I can’t carry you both,” Wilford said sadly.

 

“Doey has Dada. Jesse has Papa,” Jesse eventually said, she knew – even as young as she was – that Joey needed more of her parents attention at the moment with him still trying to get used to everything as he had had to endure the abuse from their mother a lot longer then she had.

 

“Thank you Jesse,” Joey whispered, he felt the need to right the wrong he made that morning by assuming that Wilford had hurt Jesse and that was the reason she had been crying and they all knew that.

 

“Are you both looking forward to seeing Marshall, Skye, Oskar and Lucas today?” Dark asked as the family of four made their way down the stairs towards the mansion dining room for breakfast.

 

“Yes!” Jesse cheered, Marshall had become her best friend since she had met them the first time and it delighted everyone. Then when Oskar and Joey met the two instantly hit it off and also became fast friends, although both children were friends with all four spetic children those two were their favorites.

 

“Are you both sure you want to stay the night?” Wilford asked anxiously as he sat Joey onto his booster cushion at the table.

 

“Dada we be next door if we needs you,” Joey said placatingly as he patted Wilford’s arm and the pink haired man smiled at the gesture and the words.

 

“You’re right,” Wilford replied with a strained smile before he rushed off to see what Chef had made for breakfast while Dark settled Jesse into her seat. This would be the first night the children would be spending away from home but the whole house hold was needed to finalize the adoption of both children and then change the memories of everyone that was apart of the whole process to remember them in their actual forms and not their human ones. It was going to be draining and was going to take all of their focus so the children couldn’t be present.

 

“After breakfast we shall pack up your new suitcases,” Dark said as he took his seat at the head of the table and the Ego’s began to file in.

 

* * *

 

Once breakfast was finished Dark and Wilford carried the two children up to Jesse’s room first to pack her suitcase up. Both children had ride on suitcases just in case, Jesse’s was a zebra and Joey’s was a tiger.

 

Dark opened up Jesse’s suit case and packed in four drynites just in case. Two whole packs of her new underwear, just in-case accidents did happen after all. “What pajamas would you like Jesse?” Dark asked as he packed up Jesse’s bathrobe and slippers, the children would be putting on their shoes soon.

 

“Dese ones Papa pease,” Jesse said passing Dark two pairs of pajamas at Wilford’s insistence. Dark then packed three pairs of jeans, two tops, Jesse’s favorite fleece, three pairs of socks, a pack of undershirts, Jesse’s blanket, Jesse’s sleeping-bag, Jesse’s pacifier (inside the pacifier case of course), Jesse’s night light, bath wash, shampoo, towel, wash cloth, toothpaste, toothbrush and hair brush.

 

“Right Jesse while I take Joey to his room to pack his bag can you choose the toys you want to take with you please? Wilford can you also pack her swim bag please?” Dark asked and Wilford grinned before holding up Jesse’s George Pig swim bag which was already packed.

 

Dark smiled before leading Joey out of the room and into his own room while Jesse decided on what toys to take with her. “Joey can you choose your clothes for me while I get the rest of your things? You will need two pairs of pajamas, two pairs of pants, two tees, a fleece, two pairs of socks, four undershirts and pairs of boxers,” Dark said and Joey nodded and going about doing what Dark had asked. While Joey was doing that Dark packed up Joey’s sleeping bag, blanket, night light, bath wash, shampoo, towel and wash mitt, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, two drynites, bathrobe and slippers.

 

Once Dark was finished Joey had placed the clothes he wanted on his bed and was looking to decide what toys he wanted to take with him which made Dark smile as he packed up the clothes.

 

“Papa I want these toys please,” Joey said as he pointed to the pile on his bed of different toys – some of them surprisingly educational and some were books and not toys.

 

“Very well. Where is your backpack?” Dark asked looking around the room for the item.

 

“Downstairs,” Joey replied.

 

“Can you go and find your Dad to get it please?” Dark asked.

 

“OK,” Joey replied and rushed from the room to find Wilford while Dark quickly packed Joey’s swim bag ready for the trip.

 

It wasn’t long before Joey ran back into the room backpack in hand and sneakers now on his feet with Wilford and Jesse following close behind, Jesse was now also wearing her sneakers and had her backpack on her back already full with the toys she had chosen.

Joey->Jesse->

 

“Right lets get these last things packed up and get you two over to the Septic’s ready for your play date and sleepover,” Wilford said with a grin before bounding over to Joey’s bed and packing up the toys while Joey tried to help and Dark held Jesse’s hand to prevent the toddler running off.

 

* * *

 

An hour later found Dark and Wilford pulling a child each along on top of their ride along suitcases, both with their backpack’s on their back while Wilford carried both the swim bags and Dark carried the carrier bag containing Jesse’s potty. Wilford was also single-handedly pushing along the stroller containing the two car seats – which he was using his aura to keep in the stroller seat – ready to be set up into the minibus that the Septic’s owned. Jesse had Twinkle tucked into the loops of the suitcase so she didn’t loose it and so she could hold on so she didn’t fall off. Joey had tucked Hero into his backpack with his other toys so he didn’t seem like a baby for needing a toy.

Soon they were approaching the next doors front door, which was painted green and the door knocker was a Septiceye Sam, the optic nerve was the actual knocker part which Dark lifted up and knocked against the door twice rather firmly without banging it to hard. There was a sound of scuffling before the door opened to reveal Chase looking slightly disheveled with a pouting Oskar standing behind him who was clutching his plush excavator to his chest – which was called Digger – with crossed arms.

 

“Hay guys come on in! Don’t mind Oskar I had to stop him opening the door and he isn’t happy about it,” Chase explained. “He doesn’t understand that just because he knew you guys were coming doesn’t mean it was you at the door,” he added and Dark nodded his head in agreement. Just as Chase closed the door Marvin came barreling down the stairs and stopped when he spotted the other Ego’s and the two children, then he spotted the luggage.

 

“B’jeysus Dark they’re only ‘ere for a nigh’! They can’ need all tha!” he cried in shock and Chase rolled his eyes.

 

“O’course they do ya moron,” he replied before pushing Marvin aside so he could lead Dark and Wilford up to the guest room where Jesse and Joey would be keeping their things, although they wouldn’t be sleeping there as the children would all be having a sleepover in the Livingroom. Dark and Wilford placed the suitcases by the door while Jesse and Joey placed their backpacks on the floor in the middle of the room both now looking a little unsure. “I’ll leave ya to say goodbye while I set up the car seats,” Chase said before leaving the room.

 

“Right we will see you tomorrow OK? Chase has Dada’s number so if you need us he can phone us OK? But try to have fun,” Dark said.

 

“Night night?” Jesse asked with watery eyes.

 

“Yes he can ring us to say goodnight,” Dark promised and Jesse nodded sadly before hugging both Dark and Wilford with Joey following along behind her.

 

* * *

 

Dark and Wilford had left and Chase was trying to sooth a crying toddler and a five year old who was trying not to cry. “It’s OK li’le ones. Ya Da and ya Pa will be back tomorrow,” Chase soothed and Jesse hiccuped through her sobs but didn’t settle. “Come on we can’ go swimmin’ till you stop cryin’,” Chase said, but the crying didn’t stop. Suddenly Marshall and Oskar came barreling in, Oskar was wearing a JCB sweatshirt and matching pants with an orange undershirt and matching boxers along with a pair of tractor socks and his yellow velcro converse sneakers. Marshall on the other hand was wearing a dinosaur sweatshirt set with a dinosaur undershirt, dinosaur cotton training pants, dinosaur socks and his green velcro converse sneakers.

 

Oskar->

Marshall->

 

“Dada why Jesse cwyin’?” Marshall asked running over to his father and best friend.

 

“She’s sad tha’ her Dada an’ Papa have gone,” Chase explained to his son and Marshall nodded sadly before noticing something and running back over to Oskar, tugging him from the room and Chase watched after them confused until they came running back into the room a short time later with Lucas behind them. Lucas was wearing a Fortnight sweatshirt with matching pants, an orange undershirt with matching boxers, a pair of gamer themed socks and his orange converse sneakers.

 

 

Lucas was also carrying two blankets and two plush toys in his arms which Chase recognized as belonging to both Jesse and Joey. “Thanks guys,” Chase smiled as Lucas handed Twinkle and Jesse’s blanket to him while he handed Hero to Joey and then wrapped his blanket around his shoulders. The results were almost immediate Jesse stopped crying and Joey seemed to relax as well. “Well waddya know,” Chase said with a grin. “Shall we get ready an’ go swimmin’ now?” Chase asked.

 

“Otay,” Jesse whispered clutching Twinkle to her chest.

 

“Twinkle can come in da car, but tha’s where it’ll have ta stay,” Chase said and Jesse nodded in agreement, she just needed the comfort now but once she got to the pool she would be to distracted to notice. “Cool. Skye! we’re goin’ now,” Chase called from the hallway and Skye came running down the stairs – she was wearing a unicorn sweatshirt with matching leggings, a pair of unicorn socks, a white undershirt and matching panties covered in pink hearts and her pink converse sneakers.

 

 

The four year old was dragging Marvin along behind her. Marvin and Jackieboy-man would all be going with them to help keep an eye on the kids, although Jackieboy was going in his human disguise of Eion Eilit. The girl had her swimming bag slung over her shoulder with a grin on her face and she was dragging Marshall’s bag behind her as well.

 

Skye->

Marshall->

 

“Lucas where’s ya bag?” Chase asked turning to Lucas.

 

“Righ’ ‘ere uncle Chase,” Lucas replied holding up his pekachu swim bag and Oskar’s Bob the Builder swim bag as well.

 

Lucas->

Oskar->

 

“Righ’ are we sure we’re ready? I aint comin’ back if we forgot somethin’,” Chase said.

 

“We have our swimming stuff and I have your bag. But do we have the snack bag? And spare clothes for the children just in case?” Marvin asked and Chase face plamed having evidently forgotten this. Marvin rolled his eyes and waved his wand making a plain black backpack appear in his hands which contained a change of clothes for the younger five children as well as all six children’s water bottles and snack pots containing their favorite fruits – Jesse had blueberries, Joey had cherries, Marshall had green grapes cut in half, Skye had raspberries, Oskar had peach slices and Lucas had orange slices.

 

Bottles: Lucas->Oskar->Skye->Marshall->Joey->Jesse->

 

Snack Pots: Lucas->Oskar->Skye->Marshall->Joey->Jesse->

 

“Thanks Marv,” Chase grinned before leading the group out to the mini bus or nine seater car if you wanted to be specific, the car was green of course and Chase was renting it for the day to see how it ran before deciding on weather or not he was going to buy one. Chase pulled open the sliding door to reveal all six car seats set up ready. Skye, Lucas and Oskar were all in the back while Jesse, Marshall and Joey were in the middle row leaving the three adults in the front three seats. Jackieboy helped the children strap themselves into their car seats before taking his seat in the middle at the front with Chase driving and Marvin on the other side.

Car->

Lucas->Oskar->Skye->Marshall->Joey->Jesse->

 

“Are we all in?” Chase asked once he had placed his double stroller, Jesse’s stroller and the bags in the boot of the car and taken his place in the drivers seat.

 

“We sure are,” Marvin replied with a nod making his hair flop into his face and with that Chase started up the car and they were off towards the swimming pool.

 

* * *

 

Ten minutes later the group had arrived at the pool and Chase switched off the engine once he had parked before jumping out to grab the bags while Jackieboy and Marvin helped the children out of the car and stood by the entrance of the pool away from the road and the traffic. Jesse was staring at the car longingly where Twinkle was sitting in the toddler’s car seat waiting for her return, but she didn’t fight the fact that she couldn’t take Twinkle into the pool with her. Chase handed out all of the bag and then used the button on the key fob to lock the car. “Ready?” he asked and the group nodded heading into the swimming pool. Chase quickly paid entry for everyone five and over and then they entered the pool and snagged a public changing room which was empty. The group dived in and Chase locked the door behind them meaning no one else could enter. It didn’t take long to get everyone changed but it took a while for the three men to blow up all of the armbands and get them onto the correct child. Once that was done Marvin used his magic to put the bags back into the car until they needed them again and they made their way out into the pool. “OK I’ll stay wid ta little un’s in ta baby pool ta rest o’ya go have fun,” Chase said with a grin before leading Jesse and Marshall to the little pool while the other’s headed over to the big pool.

 

Jesse squealed in excitement as she swam around in the shallow water that only reached her waist when she stood up. Chase was sitting at the edge of the pool hardly submerged at all due to how shallow the pool was. But he seemed happy as he watched Jesse and Marshall playing together and Marshall showing Jesse how to swim in doggy paddle style which made Chase laugh. “Dada look!” Marshall said pointing to the slide and tilting his head to the side in question.

 

“Ya wanna go on ta slide?” Chase asked and Marshall grinned before nodding. Chase stood up and walked over to the toddlers and helped them up onto the side of the pool which allowed them to climb the steps of the tiny dolphin shaped slide. Marshall went down first and Chase caught him at the bottom making the toddler laugh and then Chase caught Jesse as she slid down as well. This went on for five minutes before the toddler’s became board and started chasing each other around the pool instead.

 

Soon the toddlers began to get fussy so Chase decided it was time to leave calling over to Jackieboy about getting ready to go and he helped Marvin to round up the older kids. Soon they were all dried off and dressed, Jesse used her potty and let Skye use it as well as the girls didn’t want to go into the men’s toilet and none of the men wanted to risk letting the children go into the girls toilet by themselves. Marvin used his magic to empty out the potty while Chase, Jackieboy, Marshall, Joey, Lucas and Oskar all went to use the men’s room. Marvin used his magic to dry everyone’s hair once they were all back into the car. “Off to ta park we go!” Chase cheered making the children cheer as well which Marvin rolled his eyes at even though he had a large smile plastered on his face.

 

* * *

 

Chase yawned as they all entered the house once more later that afternoon, the children had run all three men ragged and they all needed a well earned brake J.J waved as they entered the room causing Jesse and Joey to both run straight over to him all three of them talking to each other in sign language while Oskar and Lucas set up the play-station switch onto the TV with Marvin’s help and started playing Mario Kart. Robbie sat coloring with both Skye and Marshall while Anti sat with the two boys playing the video game and giving them both advice on how to beat the other, it soon became an all out war between the two. Chase watched for a while before going off to the kitchen to start on dinner, only to find Angus and Clint already working together to make something for everyone. Jacques was sketching something he could see out of the kitchen window while talking to Tommy about something or other, so it seemed like Chase wasn’t needed so he decided to go up to his room to grab Skye and Marshall’s sleeping bags ready for the night and the six person tent that the children would have set up in the livingroom that night.

 

Chase then made his way to Henrik’s room to grab both Lucas and Oskar’s sleeping bags, having been given permission to do so as Henrik was going to be working late that night so wouldn’t be home to get them down and he had forgotten to get them out before leaving that morning. Once done Chase made his way back downstairs and sat himself in one of the armchairs content just to watch everyone doing their own thing, J.J seemed to be signing a story to both Joey and Jesse now which intrigued Chase slightly but he was distracted by Marshall calling him over to color with him.

 

* * *

 

After a dinner of chicken nuggets, carrot sticks, fries, apple slices and ice cream for desert all of the children had been bathed and were in their pajamas -

 

Lucas->Oskar->

Skye->Marshall->

Joey->Jesse->

 

\- and happily watching Piglets Big Movie on the TV. They had a bowl of popcorn to share between all of them and they each had a drink in their water bottles (to prevent spillage) they were all silent as they watched in rapt attention. Chase smiled and set up the tent in the corner of the room, they would move the two couches to make room for it in the middle of the room later.

By the time Chase had set up the tent the film had ended and the children were beginning to get tired so Chase set up the sleeping bags in the sections. Jesse and Skye were sharing a section, Marshall and Joey were sharing leaving Oskar and Lucas sharing a section. Lucas’s sleeping bag was blue and in the design on a hand held game console with the words ‘GAME OVER’ printed at the top. Oskar’s nap mat/sleeping bag was yellow and dotted all over with different construction vehicles. Skye’s sleeping bag/nap mat was purple and covered in unicorns while Marshall’s nap mat/sleeping bag was a pale blue covered in dinosaurs.

 

Lucas->Oskar->Skye->Marshall->Joey->Jesse->

 

“Right time for bed kiddos,” Chase announced and the children groaned in protest. “Come on now it’s getting late. Go and brush your teeth and then hop into bed,” he added and the children moved to comply with Chase helping the younger ones. Chase then set up Jesse and Joey’s night lights in their sections, luckily the other children didn’t mind the lights emitting from them. Chase then put a lullaby CD into the DVD player and left it on low so it was background noise to help sooth the children to sleep. Once goodnight’s had been made Chase tucked the children into their sleeping bags with their plush toys (even though Lucas had been adamant that he was to old for his Chase knew he would have nightmares without it).

 

Lucas->Oskar->

Skye->Marshall->

Joey->Jesse->

 

The children all fell asleep quickly after that leaving Chase and Marvin to set up the couches into beds as well as the two recliners and then add in some futons as well meaning that the Septic’s could all sleep in the livingroom as well if they so chose.

 

* * *

 

Hours later Jesse stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes tears gathering when she didn’t recognize where she was and the toddler began to panic that her father’s had gotten rid of her. She knew she needed to find them to apologize and she crawled out of the tent and stopped when she recognized the room in the glow of the TV, she was staying at the Septic’s house for the night. “Ye OK?” came a glitching voice from beside Jesse making the toddler jump and whimper as she turned towards the voice. “Sorry didn’ mean ta scare ya,” the voice said soothingly and Jesse recognized Anti.

 

Anti->

 

“Wan’ Dada an’ Papa,” Jesse whispered clutching Twinkle tightly to her chest and trying to seem as small as possible while still standing up.

 

“Ya Dada an’ ya Papa will be back tomorrow,” Anti replied squatting down to the floor to be more at eye level with the toddler, but tears still filled the toddler eyes again and began to drip down her cheeks, but she made no noise as she cried. “It’s OK,” Anti said slowly reaching out until he could pull Jesse into his arms, once he had her secured to his chest he stood up once more and began swaying slightly from side to side in a soothing manner to try and sooth the upset toddler.

Soon with the soothing words and hums as well as the swaying and the slight buzzing from Anti’s skin Jesse fell back to sleep and instead of trying to fight back into the tent to lay the toddler down Anti just lay back down on the couch that belonged to him and laid the toddler on his chest covering them up with his duvet once more and falling back to sleep.

 


	12. Sleepover and Adoption pt 2 Dark and Wilford

Wilford looked heart broken when they returned to the house after dropping Jesse and Joey off to the Septic house. “They will be fine Wil,” Dark soothed taking his partners hand into his own.

 

“I know. She knows now to tug at the heart strings doesn’t she?” Wilford asked tears in his eyes, tears he refused to allow to fall.

 

“She’s a toddler and she has been through so much already. We will phone later and see how she is but for now we need to go and talk to Mark,” Dark said and Wilford sighed before nodding his eyes now dry and his manic smile back in place.

 

“I’m ready,” he said and Dark took his arm and the two stepped through the void into Mark’s bedroom.

 

“What the Hell!” Mark screamed from his place on his bed where he had been looking through social media on his phone, he had done a live stream the day before so was taking the day off to relax. “Really guys?! I told you to call if you were coming!” Mark screeched his hand over his heart as he panted.

 

“Wheres the fun in that?” Wilford asked with a grin. “After all life needs a little bit of madness,” he added and Mark huffed in reply.

 

“What do you need?” Mark asked once he had calmed down fully to be able to process everything.

 

“We need to discuss something with you and with Amy. I assume she is here?” Dark asked.

 

“Well yeah. She went to the bathroom when you guys showed up,” Mark replied pointing to the closed bathroom door and sure enough it opened the reveal Amy.

 

“Hello Dark. Hello Wilford,” Amy smiled.

 

“Hello Amy,” Dark replied with a slight bow of his head.

 

“Hello Amy!” Wilford grinned bonding over and placing a kiss onto Amy’s hand making the brunet blush slightly.

 

“Stop flirting with my girlfriend Wilford!” Mark growled crossing his arms over his chest in aggravation as he glared at the mustached ego.

 

“Shouldn’ have created me as such a flirt then aye Markimoo,” Wilford replied with a grin releasing Amy and skipping over to Dark to smooch him on the mouth making everyone – including Dark – to blush at the sight. “Now that’s outta the way we need ta talk to you about something Markimoo,” Wilford said with a manic grin plastered on his face as he danced around the bedroom.

 

“What is it?” Mark asked and watched as suddenly Wilford became serious and that was when Mark knew this was not going to be something he could find a joke in and this was something he needed to listen to intently and take stock of.

 

“A few months ago our home was invaded by an aggressive woman who was looking for her child who had gotten ‘lost’ in the woods behind the manner. We found the child hiding under the bed in my old room she had several broken bones, two perforated ear drums which prevented her from being able to hear anything. She was covered in bruises, scars and open wounds. The poor child was terrified of everything but I some how gained her trust and slowly so did Dark. The long and short of it is we fostered her and got her mother in prison. Turns out she had two older brothers, the eldest the mother murdered and buried in the backyard. The middle child she dumped into the bottom of the well behind the house. He’s still alive but he was barley hanging on when the police found him and was in a coma for a short while. When he woke up we fostered him as well, he took longer to trust us due to him suffering the abuse longer then Jesse had,” Wilford replied and paused to take a breath allowing Dark to take over.

 

“We are telling you this all now because we are finalizing the adoption of both of the children and once we have we will be changing everyone’s memories to remember us as we are and not in our human disguises and that means a lot of people will be aware of who we are and our relation to you,” Dark explained. “That isn’t the strangest thing about these children however. The strangest thing is that they seem to be half shadow demons, much like myself,” he added and looked over at Mark and Amy who both seemed frozen in shock at all of the information they had just been provided with. Eventually the two seemed to shake themselves out of the frozen state they had fallen into.

 

“You two are parents?” Mark asked in shock.

 

“Yes,” Dark replied with a nod.

 

“Huh I never would have expected that,” Mark said shaking his head slightly with a smile on his face. “How old are they?” Mark asked.

 

“Jesse is two and Joey is five,” Wilford replied with a grin.

 

“So they are around Schneeplestein’s and Chase’s kids ages right?” Mark asked and Dark nodded in confirmation. “When can I meet them? I mean I am kind of their uncle right?” Mark asked and Dark sighed, since coming out that the ego’s were real the fans were adamant that he and Mark were twins due to the evil and good twin theories.

 

“As soon as the adoption has gone through,” Dark replied and Mark nodded in agreement before both he and Amy asked the two ego’s everything they could about the children in a bid to get to know them better before they even met them in person. By the time Wilford and Dark left due to an appointment both human’s felt as though they really knew the two children Dark and Wilford had taken under their wing and couldn’t wait to meet them.

 

* * *

 

The ego’s were all either pacing around the livingroom of the manner of undertaking other activities of which they did when they were nervous or stressed. They had heard no word from Wilford or Dark all day except to say that Mark had accepted the children with no problem as had Amy. The group new that Dark and Wilford had a meeting with the adoption agency, police and child services about adopting both children but that meeting had ended over two hours ago and neither Ego’s could be reached by phone. Suddenly the door burst open admitting a giddy Wilford to enter – most would say drunk but the ego’s new better – with a reserved but equally happy Dark behind him. “Wilford Warfstache and Darkiplier enter the manner ready to announce that the adoption was a success,” The Host muttered but everyone heard him due to the silence that had befallen the manner upon Wilford’s entrance.

 

“No fair Hosty-Toasty! I wanted to announce it!” Wilford cried out in a giddy voice, he wasn’t mad of course as he knew that it was a high probability that The Host would announce it before they had a chance to.

 

“So wait it went through? The kids are officially yours?” Bim asked, having been the only one to absorb The Host’s words in the madness that is Wilford and his aura.

 

“Yes! Jesse and Joeyare officially now known as Jessalin Amy Warfstache-Iplier and Josephus Marcus Warfstache-Iplier!” Wilford cried gleefully and a giant cheer arose in the manner.

 

“Now comes the hard part of tracking down everyone whom has been apart of this whole process and changing their memories. It is going to be along night so let us get started,” Dark said and once again a seriousness befell the Iplier Manner residents as they prepared for the longest fight of their life, but they all knew it would be a success because it needed to be and there was no room for error or mistake.


	13. Sleepover and Adoption pt 3 Going Home

Chase sighed sadly as he watched the children, all awake and dressed for the day. Lucas was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans with a blue tee with gray sleeves with the words ‘Level Up Like A Boss’ printed on it with the word ‘Up’ inside a handheld game console. He had paired this with his orange converse a pair of gamer socks and a red tiger undershirt with matching boxers. Lucas was playing Mario Kart with Marvin, Marvin was loosing against the eight year old rather dramatically. Oskar was dressed in a pair of blue ripped jeans with a yellow tee that had gray long sleeves, the tee had an excavator on the front with the words ‘Tough Like Daddy’ printed next to it; this was paired with a pair of blue socks covered in excavators and white undershirt with matching boxers, the undershirt had a small yellow racing car on the chest as well. Oskar was also wearing his yellow converse. Oskar was snuggling with Schneeplestein as the doctor had a day off after working so late yesterday.

Skye was playing with her tea set with J.J who was too polite to refuse a lady. Skye was wearing a long sleeve pink tutu dress that had a unicorn on the top half, this was paired with a white undershirt that had a pink rabbit on the chest and a pair of white panties with a pair of unicorn themed socks and her pink converse. Marshall was sat with Jackieboy who was reading the boy a story; Marshall was wearing a pair of blue jeans that had a dinosaur stitched onto one leg and this was paired with a green dinosaur long sleeve tee, a pair of dinosaur themed socks, a green undershirt with a blue shark printed on the chest and a pair of white dragon and castle training pants; he of course was also wearing his green converse.

Then little Joey was sitting with Jackieboy and Marshall listening to the story as well. The boy had decided to wear the pull on jeans with the red and black band at the top with the fire engine on the left leg; this was paired with his red long sleeve tee with the fire engine on the front with the words ‘Fire Engine To The Rescue’ printed on white around the fire engine. The boy had also decided on his blue undershirt and boxers with the black fireman socks and of course his red converse.

Lucas->

Oskar->

Skye->

Marshall->

Joey->

 

But that wasn’t what was making Chase sad, no what was making Chase sad was little Jesse. Everyone had woken up to Joey screaming because Jesse was gone, only to find her snuggling up to Anti, both still asleep. The two had woken up to find everyone staring at them and Anti had gone full on protective mode over the toddler and only relaxed once everyone had started looking away. Jesse hadn’t let anyone near her all morning only letting Anti get her dressed and help her with her breakfast and even now she was snuggled up in his lap in her blanket with Twinkle in her arms sucking on her pacifier – which never happened unless she was sleeping – and staring sadly at the clock in the corner. She hadn’t looked away from it since Anti sat down on the couch after getting them both dressed that morning. Jesse hadn’t even been willing to choose her clothes and made Anti do that as well. The toddler was dressed in her light blue turn up jeans with stars decorating the legs with letters inside some of them. These were paired with the blue tee with the gray long sleeves and the rocket on the chest, a pair of plain blue training pants, a white undershirt dotted with stars, a pair of blue socks with: alien heads, shooting stars and UFO’s printed on them. Then of course the toddler was wearing her blue converse.

 

Chase sighed again and turned his head to look out of the window and spotted Dark and Wilford heading up the drive way. The Irishman quickly ducked out of the front door without anyone noticing to intercept both Dark and Wilford at the door. “Chase! Lovely day isn’t it!” Wilford grinned, the pink madman had bags under his eyes and he seemed tired but incredibly happy.

 

“Hi Wilford. How’d it go last night?” Chase asked, but he felt as though he knew the answer from the happy gleam in Wilford’s eye.

 

“It was great! The adoption was approved!” Wilford cried.

 

“Congrats man!” Chase grinned before his smile fell again and Wilford faultered slightly.

 

“Is everything OK?” he asked and Chase sighed before rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.

 

“Well everythin’ was fine once ye left. Lucas brought down their blankets and everythin’ to sooth them and soon they were happy enough. They were fine for the rest of the day but we woke up this mornin’ to find Jesse cuddled up with Anti. Anti said that he woke up to Jesse tryin’ ta leave the livingroom sayin’ she wanted ye both. She cried, silently cried, when Anti told her she would see ye in the mornin’ but she fell asleep on him once he picked her up. She hasn’t let anyone else near her this mornin’ an’ cried when Henrik tried to take her so Anti could shower. She cried until Anti came back, we haven’t been able to pry her pacifier from her either,” Chase replied and Dark sighed.

 

“It is the first time she has been left over night. I am sure it will not be this bad the next time,” he replied.

 

“I think she’s just worried that ya won’ come back,” Chase replied and Dark nodded in agreement to that statement. “She’s been watchin’ the clock all mornin’ too, she hasn’t even let Joey near her,” Chase added and Dark frowned at that, as it had never happened before.

 

“Let’s get them home and get some snuggling in,” Wilford said and Chase nodded opening the door once more to find Anti standing with his hand out and a silently crying Jesse leaning her head on his shoulder pacifier bobbing between her lips.

 

“She heard ye,” Anti said before anyone else could say anything and Jesse lent out of Anti’s arms reaching for Dark who immediately took the toddler into his arms and her tears slowly dried up as Joey ran outside into Wilford’s arms. Both fathers took deep breaths as they cradled their children close, realizing how much they had missed them during the night and that morning. “I’ll get their stuff for ye,” Anti said before glitching away and returning a few seconds later with the suitcases, swim bags, car seats and stroller.

 

“Thank you Anti,” Dark said with such sincerity in his eyes it made Anti falter slightly.

 

“It were nothin’,” he replied before glitching away once more.

 

“We washed their clothes from yesterday and their swimmin’ stuff last night. We also washed their pajamas as well an’ Marv dried them with his magic,” Chase piped up pointing to the suitcases as he did so.

 

“Thank you Chase,” Dark said bowing his head slightly and Chase grinned in response.

 

“Was no trouble,” he replied before waving them off as the family strode back off towards home using their aura’s to help with the suitcases and everything else.


	14. Meeting Mark

That weekend Dark and Wilford made plans for Mark and Amy to meet the children at Mark’s place as well as the rest of TeamIplier. Jesse was scared of course as she usually was when it came to meeting new people but Joey seemed to have become a lot more confident after his night at the Septic’s, although he was nervous he seemed happy about the meeting.

The boy was already awake and dressed due to his excitement the boy was wearing a collared red shirt with red and black striped sleeves and a little red fireman helmet on the left breast with crossed axes behind it. The boy had paired this with a pair of black jeans with attached suspenders, a pair of fireman socks, his fire engine fleece and a Lightning McQueen undershirt with matching underwear.

 

The boy was throwing toys into his backpack that he wanted to take to show his new Uncle along with his blanket. The boy even had the forethought to lay some clothes on his bed for his father’s to place into his bag nicely once they woke up. The five year old then ran from his room to his sister’s room and pushed the door open. Jesse was still sleeping so Joey walked over to her dresser and wardrobe and started pulling out clothes, he laid a set of clothes out on top of Jesse’s bean bag chair before laying the spare clothes beside the toddlers bag. He then grabbed up Jesse’s blanket which she had dropped on the floor that night the boy then grabbed Jesse’s most played with toys along with some of her books and coloring books and crayons as well. Once done the five year old ran into his parents room and clambered up onto the bed and jumping onto Wilford’s back making the pink haired man grunt in pain. “Daddy! Wake up Daddy!” Joey cheered bouncing on Wilford back.

 

“Josephus I know you are excited but stop bouncing on Daddy’s back you are going to hurt him,” Dark said sternly as he sat up wincing as his bones shifted under his skin and Joey stopped immediately.

 

“Sorry Daddy sorry Papa,” Joey said as he slid from Wilford’s back into the middle of the bed and cuddled up to Wilford’s side instead.

 

“It is OK little one but in future find a more gentle way to wake us please,” Dark suggested and Joey nodded and it was then that Dark realized the boy was already dressed. “My goodness Joey are you excited about today?” Dark asked wide eyed and Joey smiled before nodding. “Is Jesse awake yet?” Dark asked.

 

“No,” Joey replied shaking his head, but just as he did Jesse shuffled into the room teary eyed and dragging Twinkle along behind her.

 

“What’s wrong little one?” Dark asked walking over to Jesse and picking her up but the toddler didn’t reply and just buried her face into Dark’s pajama shirt and clutching her fist into it as well. “Are you worried about today?” Dark asked swaying slightly and Jesse whimpered burying herself more into Dark as if she was trying to hide from the world. “It will be fine. If anything upsets you we will come home stright away OK?” Dark asked running his hand over the toddler’s back in a soothing manner.

 

“Otay Papa,” Jesse whimpered and Dark smiled sadly at the toddler.

 

“How about we get you dressed and go and have some breakfast? What would you like this morning?” Dark asked.

 

“Pan’ake an’ r’bawwies,” Jesse replied looking up at Dark with sad eyes.

 

“We can have Pancakes and raspberries if that is what you would like,” Dark replied with a nod before walking into the toddlers bedroom with Joey rushing after them leaving Wilford alone in the bed asleep once more. “Joey did you pack Jesse’s bag for her?” Dark asked eyeing the overflowing bag full of toys with the haphazardly placed clothes beside it and the toddlers blanket as well.

 

“Yes Papa. I did mine to,” Joey replied and Dark sighed running his hand down his face before plastering a smile on his face, he couldn’t be annoyed for the boy trying to help but he wished he had waited until either Dark or Wilford was awake before he did so.

 

“Thank you,” was all Dark said as he carried Jesse to her bathroom to get her onto the toilet before he grabbed the clothes on the toddler’s bed and returned to the bathroom to dress Jesse. Joey settled himself on the rug flicking through one of Jesse’s books while he waited and soon Dark exited the bathroom with Jesse walking beside him still a little teary but looking much better now. The toddler was wearing a pair of blue jeans with attached suspenders paired with a black long sleeve collared shirt covered in little white stars, her blue star fleece, a white undershirt with a lion on the chest, a pair of blue training pants covered in safari animals and a pair of space themed socks.

 

 

“Wilford are you awake yet?” Dark called as he re-packed Jesse’s bag with a few less toys and her clothes as well as her blanket and her pacifier inside it’s case just in-case Jesse fell asleep or needed to sleep while they were at Mark’s. Dark then also packed the toddler’s potty into a plastic bag to take with them as well, he would also pack Joey’s toilet seat and step as well.

 

“Yes,” Wilford replied as he stood yawning in the doorway to Jesse’s room.

 

“Can you watch the children while I shower please?” Dark requested.

 

“Sure thing Darky,” Wilford mumbled in reply and sat down on the rug beside Joey allowing both of the children to snuggle into him.

 

* * *

 

Eventually everyone was much more awake and eating breakfast with the rest of the Iplier’s. Most of them conversing as normal but others were complaining about how Dark and Wilford were going to see Mark again without them which just made Dark roll his eyes, especially as Wilford started teasing them about being the favorites. Joey was asking anything and everything about Mark, the boy had come so far in the last few months and weeks since he had been with them. Jesse was listening as well but she seemed to still be withdrawn which worried Dark as she hadn’t been this way since she first moved in with the Ipliers. When living with as many people as the children did it exposed them to social interaction much more then regular children. Dark just hoped that once Jesse met Mark and the team she would be back to her normal self.

 

Once breakfast had finished Dark and Wilford helped Joey and Jesse into their shoes and their rain coats, Jesse no longer using the all in one since she had had a growth spurt due to her diet. The girl now had a coat like Joey’s but it was an astronaut, along with matching wellington boots and umbrella.

Joey->Jesse->

 

Dark then picked Jesse up while Wilford picked Joey up and between the two of them they managed to use the void to appear in Mark’s garden. Both the children had paled dramatically once they arrived in Mark’s garden. “Wilford did you not give the children the stomach soother Dr Iplier provided?” Dark asked as he rubbed his hand up and down Jesse’s back as she began to cry because of the strange feeling in her stomach.

 

“Yeah,” Wilford replied with a frown as he watched Jesse, Joey having seemed to have recovered almost as soon as he had become unsettled.

 

“What is the matter Jesse?” Dark asked patting the toddler’s back only to draw her back quickly in panic as she began to choke. As soon as Jesse was at arms length the choking became worse and the toddler threw up her breakfast all over the garden which just made her cry harder. Wilford took the toddler into his arms trying to sooth her as Dark used his shadows to make some wipes appear to clean the toddler up.

 

“It’s OK. It’s all OK,” Wilford soothed rocking the toddler as he cleaned her up.

 

“What’s going on out here?” came the voice of Mark as he opened his garden door to find Dark, Wilford and their two children standing there. “Is she OK?” Mark asked looking in concern at the toddler sobbing in Wilford’s arms.

 

“She didn’t agree with the void travel,” Dark said with a frown. “Even though she had a stomach soother before coming, as did her brother,” he added.

 

“Maybe she has motion sickness. How is she in the car?” Mark asked walking over slowly so he didn’t upset the distressed toddler more.

 

“She’s never been ill before. But she does often complain that her stomach feels funny after being the in car and it takes her longer to want to eat after wards,” Wilford replied thoughtfully.

 

“Well come on in and I’ll grab her some water,” Mark said waving them in.

 

* * *

 

Five minutes later Jesse was settled once more with her water bottle drinking the water slowly that Mark had filled into it when Dark had given it to him. The toddler had refused to leave Wilford’s lap and was clinging to the pink ego while Joey was sitting beside Dark but was chatting away with Mark about the recent Disney Movie they had watched at Movie Night. Mark was just as enthused about talking about it and that seemed to put Josh even more at ease. Dark and Wilford could only watch in surprise as the child who was so withdrawn became a talkative and excited towards someone who wasn’t his little sister. “I will freely admit to having quite a substantial Disney film collection,” Mark said with a grin.

 

“Can I see?” Joey gasped bouncing in place excitedly.

 

“Sure,” Mark grinned and he began scrolling through all of the Disney films he had downloaded in the past. Finally Joey settled on watching Zootopropalis. Jesse was fixated on the tv as she slowly slid down to sit on the floor in-front of Dark clutching Twinkle to herself, Joey then slid down onto the floor beside his sister and took her hand in his. “I thought you said that Jesse was the more confident of the two,” Mark said.

 

“Usually at home she is but as soon as strange people are introduced she seems to withdraw into herself. But Joey seems to come into his one once he has gotten to know the person,” Dark replied.

 

“Sounds like Jesse might be suffering with anxiety,” Mark replied thoughtfully. “Have you thought about getting them to a child councilor?” Mark then asked.

 

“Jesse freaks out when she is away from us and has to talk to other people and Joey tried to hold it in but he gets upset as well,” Wilford replied sadly looking down at the two children.

 

“Maybe it would be worth talking to someone though,” Mark said and the two fathers nodded in agreement. “Now it’s nearing lunch time. What do your little ones like to eat?” Mark asked.

 

“Honestly? They aren’t really picky after being starved to death almost,” Wilford replied. “However Jesse really likes Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwiches on white bread with a little bit of butter. Joey loves Nutella spread on his with a little bit of butter as well. They both love fruit but Banana’s give Jesse a bad stomach,” Wilford replied.

 

“OK I’ll be back,” Mark replied before retreating to his kitchen to make lunch for everyone while the children were still engrossed in the movie.

 

* * *

 

Soon everyone was settled down for lunch eating happily, even Jesse was slowly relaxing and was answering questions now. She even chose to sit between Joey and Mark with Dark and Wilford opposite her. Mark had piled cushions onto the chairs for the children to easily reach the table and had made sure Jesse was tucked securely under the table. “Mark I meant to ask. Where is Amy? I thought she would be here today,” Dark asked as the conversation died down.

 

“Yeah she had to work this morning, she had a couple of orders to finish before coming home. Ethan is recording so he’ll be here later, Kathryn is editing with Evan today and Tyler is getting everything together for our next charity live-stream next month,” Mark replied.

 

“Oh? What Charity are you raising money for this time?” Dark asked, actually curious. Mark actually began to blush slightly at the question and he cleared his throat before actually replying.

 

“Prevent Child Abuse America. They have led the way in increasing awareness, providing education and inspiring hope to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of America’s children,” Mark answered and avoided looking either Dark or Wilford in the eye as he did so.

 

“Did you choose that charity because of Jesse and Joey?” Wilford asked and Mark nodded his head finally looking at his Ego’s.

 

“Why?” Wilford asked in confusion.

 

“Because child abuse is wrong and the more people who are educated on it and understand it then the less children will have to undergo what Jesse and Joey went through,” Mark replied. “And because they are family now and they deserve a second chance, if only this charity had been there for them this might not have happened,” he added. “I know they can’t be there for everyone but hopefully eventually they wont need to be.”

Dark and Wilford sat speechless, they couldn’t be more grateful for what Mark was doing and in the name of their children at that. “I was hoping to call the stream, Joey and Jesse charity stream,” the youtuber said with a blush still painting his cheeks.

 

“Really?” Wilford asked wide eyed.

 

“Yeah I mean it’s for them really so how could I not? I was also wondering if they could make an appearance on the stream? Only a little one just to introduce them to the fans and everything,” Mark said in a rush.

 

“I see no harm in it if that’s what they wish to do,” Dark replied. Mark actually beamed at that reply before going shy again.

 

“I was also hoping that you guys would all contribute to the livestream. I kinda want to do it at the manner,” Mark confessed and once again Wilford and Dark were struck speechless for a moment.

 

“Why would you want to do that?” Dark asked eventually glancing over at the children who were both still eating and not paying any attention to what the adults were talking about.

 

“Because I have been a jerk to all of you and it’s my fault all of you are the way you are. Although you have changed for the better since becoming real and since you became known to the community it’s still my fault for some of your nightmares and I want to make things better. I know I can never fix what I have done but I want to try and ease it at least a little,” Mark confessed.

 

“You don’t have to do anything Mark. We all forgave you the moment you announced our existence was real in order to save our lives,” Wilford said and Mark nodded but he still looked unconvinced.

 

“I agree with Wilford. But if it would make you feel better you can do the stream at the Manner. Just have Tyler send over everything he has organized in an e-mail so we may prepare accordingly,” Dark said and the smile that over took Mark’s face was so bright it could have lit up a dark room by itself.

 

“Papa,” came a small voice, which broke the silence that had descended over the room and everyone turned to Jesse who was rubbing her eyes and whimpering slightly.

 

“Are you tired Starlight?” Wilford asked standing up to pick Jesse up.

 

“Wan’ Papa,” Jesse said reaching for Dark ignoring the heart broken look on Wilford’s face as Dark picked Jesse up and cradled her to his chest.

 

“May I sat up her nap mat in the Livingroom?” Dark asked and Mark nodded looking at the heart broken look on Wilford’s face, a look Mark had last made on Wilford’s face when he thought his friends were dead.

 

Dark carried Jesse to the livingroom and quickly sat Jesse on her potty while he set up her nap-mat and grabbed out her pacifier which the toddler took into her mouth happily. Dark then tucked her into the nap mat with Twinkle and stayed with her until she fell asleep. Dark then returned to the diningroom to find Mark trying to reasure Wilford that Jesse didn’t hate him just because she wanted Dark to put her to bed. “Mark’s correct Wilford Jesse does not hate you. I have never seen love then I do when she looks at you. She could never hate you,” Dark said.

 

“You know she gives you the same look Dark right?” Mark asked, but Dark chose to ignore the surprising comment for the time being.

 

“But she always wants me to put her to bed,” Wilford replied distressed.

 

“You must remember Wilford that during the day it is I that puts her to sleep. We both work during the day but I work from home so she spends the daytime with me. This is just her routeen,” Dark said in a placating tone and it seemed to work as Wilford relaxed.

 

“Dada I’m tired to,” Joey said with a yawn.

 

“Well come on then little one let’s tuck you up to,” Wilford said picking up Joey and getting him settled next to his sister on his own nap mat as well.

 

* * *

 

Jesse scrunched her nose up at the sounds of voices she had never heard before. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room she was in, remembering that she was visiting her uncle and that her fathers had told her there would be more people visiting later as well. Jesse guessed they were the voices she could hear now, but that meant that there were more people around that she didn’t know and she was unsure how to deal with this. The toddler crawled out of her nap mat and stood up looking at all of the strange faces who were all looking at her. But what she also noticed was that her parents weren’t in the room. “Dada?” she squeaked, but when Wilford didn’t immediately rush to her she felt her bottom lip quiver. “Papa?” she called a little louder, but Dark didn’t come either and the toddler let out a pitiful wail. She felt a pair of strong arms pick her up and carry her from the room.

 

“It’s OK,” came the soothing voice of her Uncle Mark. “Come on sweetheart it’s all OK. You Dada and Papa got an emergency phone call but they will be back soon I promise,” Mark soothed.

 

“No weave?” Jesse sobbed.

 

“No they wont leave you here. They will come back,” Mark soothed, and after a few more minutes Jesse’s sobs turned to hiccups and then silence. “There we go. Now can I get a smile?” Mark asked but Jesse just buried her head in his shoulder and refused to look at him. “OK little one that’s OK. Now how about you sit with me and come and meet my friends?” Mark asked and he felt a little nod against his chest so he returned to the Livingroom.

Once introductions had been made Mark switched on another Disney Movie, it was Lilo and Stitch 2 and Jesse squealed in delight before bouncing in place on Mark’s lap clapping her hands. Mark smiled as the toddler turned to him with a large smile on her face before she turned back to the movie. “Closest way to her heart,” Dark said from the doorway making everyone jump. Joey ran over to his parents but Jesse didn’t even acknowledge they were there which made Dark and Wilford chuckle and the two settled themselves down to watch the movie with everyone and discuss the livestream. All in all today had been a success and the two Ego’s couldn’t be happier, and neither could Mark.


	15. The Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes this is a huge time skip, but if this story is liked enough I might think about doing some oneshot's to go with this story.

* * *

Jesse couldn’t help but think back fondly on those memories as she looked through her photo album sitting on her livingroom couch in LA. The shy toddler she once was had grown into a fully grown woman now. Although she still looked exactly the same, just older and her love for Space, Stars and Disney hadn’t changed. She was still a daddy’s girl but now they weren’t the only men in her life. “What ya readin’?” Marshall asked as he settled on the couch beside his wife.

 

“Not reading just looking back,” Jesse replied smiling at the photos from the Joey and Jesse livestream. “I am just so greatful fore everything that my family did for me when they found me and for what they did to Joe to,” Jesse added.

 

“They love’d ya. They still do,” Marshall said.

 

“I know. I just wish they could be here,” Jesse said sadly and Marshall placed his arm around Jesse’s shoulders pulling her into a hug. Suddenly the piece was broken by the sounds of pounding feet on the stairs.

 

“Mama! Dada! Santa! Santa!” screamed their four year old son Timothy Mark “Timmy” Brody as he crashed into the room his brown hair a complete mess and his blue eyes bright and twinkling in the lights of the Christmas tree. The toddler was wearing his new Christmas pajamas along with his slippers and bath robe. Beside him was his nine year old brother James Henrik Brody who was holding their one year old son Samuel Sean “Sammy” Brody in his arms, both also wearing their Christmas pajamas.

James->

Timmy->

Sammy->

 

“Yes Santa has been,” Jesse replied with a sad smile. “So let’s go and have breakfast and get dressed before we open presents,” she added.

 

“Oh,” Timmy whined.

 

“None of that. Come on,” Jesse said and lead her family to the kitchen diner to have Christmas themed pancakes for breakfast. Little Sammy was sitting happily in his highchair eating his pancake with his hands while the older two fed themselves happily. Jesse couldn’t help but watch her children with a smile on her face. James looked exactly like Jesse’s deceased brother whom he had been named after. Timmy looked exactly like Jesse (but in male version) and baby Sammy looked exactly like his father did.

 

“Wha’s on yer mind love?” Marshall asked leaning over to press a kiss to Jesse’s cheek.

 

“Hmm? Nothing, don’t worry about me,” Jesse replied with a smile and Marshall smiled as well before returning to his breakfast. “So what do you think Santa has brought you?” Jesse asked addressing her children.

 

“Mario Kart on Nintendo!” James replied with a grin making Jesse chuckle.

 

“Dinosaurs!” Timmy replied and Sammy just babbled in answer as he ate making Jesse chuckle.

 

“Well let’s go and get dressed and find out shall we?” Jesse asked summoning the shadows to clean and move the dishes back to their places. Jesse picked up Sammy while Marshall took Timmy and they all walked upstairs to get ready for the day with James following along behind them.

 

* * *

 

Soon the family were sat around their tree preparing to open presents. All wearing Christmas t-shirts along with sweatpants and Christmas themed socks:

Marshall->

Jesse->

James->

Timmy->

Sammy->

 

Just as Jesse was about to hand out the presents the doorbell sounded much to her confusion. “Who could that be?” she asked and stood up to answer the door with her family close behind. She pulled the door open to a shout of “Surprise!” which made Jesse jump in shock. But then her eyes teared up at the sight there in-front of her was her family. Her sister in law with her husband and two kids, Lucas and his wife with their daughter, her brother and brother in law with their six adopted children. Then there were the Septic egos headed up by Jack; Mark was standing with Amy and team iplier with their three children. Then heading them all up was Jesse two fathers.

 

“What are you guys doing here?” Jesse asked moving forward to hug Wilford who was closest.

 

“It’s Christmas Starlight, we always come over for Christmas,” Wilford said with a grin.

 

“But you all said you couldn’t come,” Jesse replied.

 

“And we couldn’t but then we realized that we would never miss this for the world,” Dark replied pulling his daughter in for a hug. Although the Ego’s had never aged a day Jesse had, although she stopped aging at twenty-one as had her brother due to their half demon blood. Even the septic children had stopped aging at twenty-one due to them technically being Ego’s as well. The only ones to have aged were Team-iplier and Jack, although they all looked good for it.

 

“Well come in,” Jesse grinned and lead her family into the livingroom which resized as if by itself to fit everyone. Jesse watched as presents were added to the pile under the tree and couldn’t help the smile that over took her face as she watched her family, remembering back to a time where she was a terrified child waiting for death to take her, all she new was pain and silence and then she found this manner and these unique people living there and she found a family. A family that continued to grow and become bigger and better everyday and she couldn’t help but smile as she laid a hand over her growing stomach where their only daughter was growing happily kicking away to the sounds of her family, a family she would one day meet herself. The family that beat no other the family that saved a terrified two year old and made her better.

 


End file.
